


Backseat Fishing

by banditess



Series: A Funny Thing Happened in the Afterlife [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Afterlife, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ardyn Redemption, Canonical Character Death, Daemons, Emetophobia, Fishing, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Major Character Injury, Non-Graphic Violence, Non-Sexual Bondage, Panic Attacks, Post-Game, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Game Lore Speculation, The following tag is for Chapter 18, The following tag is for Chapter 21, The following tag is for Chapter 22, The following two tags are for Chapter 12+13
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2018-09-19 14:58:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 40,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9446480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banditess/pseuds/banditess
Summary: Post-game fic -- Major Spoilers ahoy.Noct fishes to stave off boredom in the Afterlife, but something just doesn't feel right. It feels even *less* right when his former arch-nemesis miraculously appears...This fic was written mostly prior to and in tandem with the first year of game patches and DLCs, and as such it may not totally match up with what has become (or will become, with future updates/DLCs) game canon.





	1. Chapter 1

The second best thing about the Afterlife, Noctis felt, was the fact that he could go fishing whenever he liked, and the fish were somehow always biting. He remembered hearing something about the concept of “retirement,” back in the Living World, where the elderly would take up a hobby like chocobo breeding, or betting daily on Totomostro matches at the Arena Galviano, or something like that, to occupy their time once their days of working were through. Well, his work was done, that was for sure, and he had the rest of eternity to pass by. And so Noctis fished, when he wasn’t busy enjoying the company of his Queen (who was the best thing about the Afterlife, by far).  
  
He tried not to think too hard about how silent it was when he reeled the fish in. There were no comments about the size of his catches (or comparisons of them to the size of his manhood), no reminders about when he ought to restring his line. His backseat fishers were yet to arrive on this plane -- a good thing, Noct thought, but it left only the chirping crickets to remark on the prizes he pulled from the water.  
  
He knew he could have asked Luna to join him, to ease his loneliness. She would likely have happily come along -- she’d do just about anything to support him -- but whenever he thought of her standing beside water, even something as shallow as these fishing holes, all he could see in his mind’s eye was the day of the Trial of Leviathan in Altissia. He saw Luna and Ardyn, surrounded by waterspouts hundreds of feet tall. He saw himself high in the air, clashing with the Tidemother, using the weapons of his Armiger in an unrelenting barrage on the Astral. Worst of all, he could see himself looking down, unable to reach the Oracle as her blood began to stain her beautiful white dress. Logically, he knew he was being ridiculous, there was no danger to her now. Yet the fear persisted in the back of his mind. No, he would not ask Luna to come fishing with him. The crickets would have to do for company.  
  
Standing on the end of a short pier, Noctis was about to cast his line when he heard a rustling from the tall grass on the shoreline to his left. That was weird. Aside from the fish, he hadn’t actually encountered any other creatures on his outings. In fact, he was pretty sure that even his cricket friends were just the illusory sounds of the insects, instead of the real things. He had put down his rod on the wooden pier and was just about to go investigate the shoreline when the source of the noise burst through the underbrush -- Umbra, swiftly padding towards him.  
  
Noct smiled and kneeled down as the black and tan dog ran up the pier to greet him, tail wagging happily. Umbra put his paw out for the King to take, which Noctis did gladly.  
  
“Where have you been, boy? I haven’t seen you since the final showdown in Insomnia...” Noct scratched him under his chin. “Pryna’s been missing you, buddy.”  
  
Umbra was enjoying the attention when his ears perked up suddenly. The dog turned back towards the bushes from whence he’d made his appearance, which had begun to rustle again -- more loudly and more animatedly, this time. Whatever this was, it was definitely larger than Umbra. Noct stood up, grabbing his fishing rod as he rose. Sure, he was already dead and nothing could hurt him, but that didn’t mean whatever was about to pop out of the shrubbery wouldn’t try to harm him anyway. Ignis would have advised him to be prepared for anything --  
  
\-- but nothing Ignis could have said, and nothing on Eos, or anywhere else, could have prepared Noctis for the sight of Ardyn _Fucking_ Izunia coming out of the brush on the shore. He nearly dropped his fishing rod in shock.  
  
The Chancellor was still wearing his trademark outfit -- coat and scarves and all -- and as he pushed his way through the bushes, a bit of the intricate lace at his shoulders snagged in some twigs. Ardyn frowned as he reached up to free himself from the offending vegetation. Brushing himself off, he looked up to survey his surroundings. He smiled brightly when he saw Noctis and Umbra on the pier, and he made his way over to them.  
  
“Ah! At last, a familiar face -- though I must admit yours was not the one I expected to see. Hail and well met, Your Majesty,” Ardyn took off his hat and bowed to the King with his usual flourish.  
  
“Ardyn...I don’t understand,” Noct crossed his arms, rod still in hand, “How is this possible? I watched you die _twice_ \-- on Eos, _and_ in the Beyond. I killed you with my own hands, sacrificed my own life...”  
  
“Indeed. You did well, Noct -- Oblivion was everything I ever dreamed it would be. For that gift, I do thank you. Truly. And yet despite your gift to me…here I am.” The red-haired man threw his arms up in a wide shrug, every bit the flamboyant gentleman Noct had first met, a literal lifetime ago at Galdin Quay.  
  
Ardyn bent down and offered his hand to Umbra, “The dog is yours?”  
  
Noct fully expected him to at least growl at the Chancellor, if not take his hand clean off -- he was usually such a good judge of character -- but instead Umbra gave Ardyn his paw. Ardyn shook it gently and stood back up. The King couldn't help but feel a little betrayed by his furry friend. He thought _he_ was the only one who got paw from Umbra…  
  
“Much as he can be anyone’s, I guess. He’s a Messenger -- his name’s Umbra,” Noct explained coolly.  
  
Ardyn put one hand on his hip, used the other to rub the stubble on his chin, “Then ‘twould seem the Gods toy with us still, dear Noctis.”  
  
“What makes you say that?”  
  
“Because after I miraculously returned to existence, I followed a trail of sylleblossoms out of oblivion and found myself here, whereupon your pup lead me straight to you.”  
  
Noctis looked down at Umbra, who looked back up at him with his tongue lolling out of his mouth in a goofy canine grin.  
  
So much for his retirement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noct and Ardyn attempt to piece together how Ardyn may have returned, Noct snags a fish, and Ardyn can't resist pushing a few buttons...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the kudos and lovely comments on Chapter 1! ♥ This fic is very much a work in progress, and for that I apologize. For example, I fully intended for this chapter to be super light and fluffy, but Ardyn and Noctis apparently had some Stuff they needed to get out of the way first before that could happen. So uh...please enjoy the angst! And thank you for joining me on this journey. :)

“A trail of sylleblossoms led you out, huh?” said Noct.  
  
Ardyn nodded, strode up the pier and stood next to Noct, looking out at the water, “Naught but the Six could have pulled me from where I was -- or from where I _was not_ , as the case may be. At first I had assumed it was Shiva’s doing, but the sudden appearance of the dog was _baffling_. Now that you’ve told me he is a Messenger, however...Well, the cold hand of the Glacian feels very close indeed.”  
  
Noct tapped his fingers against his rod.  
  
“And why exactly should I trust that you’re telling me the truth here? What if you just got bored of not existing and, I dunno, found some way to come back and torment me in the Afterlife?”  
  
Ardyn looked at him and burst into laughter, and for a moment Noct wasn’t sure if he would ever _stop_ laughing -- it was like the King had tripped some hidden switch, and he didn't know how to turn it back off. Eventually, though, the Chancellor collected himself.  
  
“Goodness! I apologize. Do forgive me my outburst, Your Majesty. It’s just that from our last dance together at the Citadel, I presumed we had come to an _understanding_ regarding my motives,” the red-haired man said, looking almost offended. “And as I said before, I am grateful to you for seeing things through to the end. No, dear Noctis, I did not ask to be restored...”  
  
Ardyn smirked, then reached out and traced Noct’s jawline with his finger. He grasped the King’s chin firmly between his thumb and forefinger. “...Though if that _were_ the case, I _could_ see where I might have done it just to badger you specifically, but _only_ because you’re so _fun_ to tease.”  
  
That was enough for Noct. He walked to the end of the pier and sat down, legs dangling from the edge. He placed his rod beside him and leaned back on his hands. Umbra trotted over and curled up beside his master, laying his head on his crossed paws.  
  
“Oh dear,” Ardyn called after him, chuckling. “Was it something I said?”  
  
Noct sighed. He agreed that an Astral’s power -- maybe more than one -- must have been involved in this somehow. What else could have reconstructed a man’s obliterated soul from eternal rest? The sylleblossoms, though...they were his _wife’s_ favorite. He wondered if Ardyn knew this detail about the Lady Lunafreya. It seemed like the kind of tiny thing Ardyn probably _would_ have noticed, especially considering it was the Chancellor’s machinations that had been at the heart of everything that had happened to Noct and Luna in their short lives. The King decided to play that card close to his chest. Even if he had only a small, incomplete inkling of _how_ Ardyn had come to this plane, there was still the question of _why_.  
  
Maybe he could just...ignore the Chancellor’s presence for now. He stood up with his rod, made sure his lure was still tightly attached to the line, and cast it out into the pool. He could feel Ardyn idling behind him, quietly observing. Noct had a hard time believing Ardyn was capable of doing _anything_ quietly, the godsdamn chatterbox, and yet there they were.  
  
He jigged the lure a bit, making the sunlight glint off of the tackle as it bobbed in the water. Suddenly, Noct felt something tug on the line. He yanked the rod against the fish, felt it hook, and began to briskly reel it in. After a brief tug-of-war, the King pulled in a pathetically small trevally.  
  
“Well, well -- and here I was beginning to doubt that there were even fish in this pond at all. A handsome catch, Your Majesty. Fit indeed for a king,” Ardyn smirked.  
  
The King whirled around, trevally still hooked on the line, “What is _that_ supposed to mean?”  
  
Ardyn frowned and crossed his arms. It occurred to Noct that the Chancellor actually appeared...hurt?  
  
“It _means_ that you have caught a particularly lovely specimen -- even one so out of practice with the sport of angling as I am can see that. I merely thought to comment on your success,” Ardyn pouted, brushing stray hair from his face. “You do know it isn’t _all_ about size, don’t you, Noct?”  
  
_Great_ , Noctis fumed. _Now_ I’m _the asshole._ He looked away pointedly and moved to release the fish from the hook caught in its mouth. The trevally wriggled wildly in the King’s hands and practically flew back into the water the moment Noct freed it.  
  
“Really, I do hope that you might come to trust me in time, dear Noctis. We all just want to be freed from the hooks we find in our mouths -- to be released from the line reeling us towards what will surely be our end,” Ardyn said sadly. “Did you not feel so, when Bahamut revealed to you your part in the Prophecy?”  
  
“Of _course_ I did!” Noct burst out angrily, throwing his fishing gear to the ground and clenching his fists. “Why do you think it took me ten years to get out of the Crystal? It took me an _entire decade_ to process how _fucked up_ it all was!”  
  
Ardyn spread his arms wide in a dramatic sweep, “And yet in spite of how ‘ _fucked up’_ it was, you were _such_ a willing accomplice, fulfilling your duty at the end -- your eyes so full of compassion, ready to assist me with my _redemption_. Honestly, I was quite moved.”  
  
He wasn’t wrong -- there _had_ been compassion in Noct’s eyes at the Citadel. Because despite all of the horrors Ardyn had put him through, once he had been inside the Crystal, Noctis _did_ understand. He understood, intimately, what it was like to be saddled with a responsibility that you didn’t ask for, that you couldn’t just _delegate_ to someone else...and that would ultimately require you to sacrifice everything for the good of all. Just as Ardyn had done, before his fall from grace. But still...  
  
Noct shook his head. “Ardyn...You destroyed the world. You took everything from me. There are some things that just can’t be forgiven that easily.”  
  
The Chancellor shrugged, the lace at his shoulders fluttering with the motion. “I have lived for millennia without forgiveness. I do not require it in order to survive now. But consider this: You knew _damn well_ that I _wanted_ to die -- _needed_ to die, Noct. I merely _pulled some strings_ along the way to strengthen your resolve to get the job done, to make it easier for you to swallow the bitter pill.”  
  
Noctis swallowed reflexively then, and it did taste bitter. Like ashes in his mouth.  
  
“If I might make a suggestion, Your Majesty?” Ardyn waited a moment for Noct to respond, then continued when it was clear no response was forthcoming. “I don't know why I have been brought to this plane, nor for how long I might be here. For my part, dear Noctis, I truly do not wish to quarrel with you. We played the parts we were meant to play -- and now we are but shades in the realm of the dead. Could we not just...enjoy ourselves? Hmm?”  
  
Noct seemed to ponder this for a moment, rubbing his face with his hands and taking a deep breath before speaking again.  
  
“I should...I should get back to Luna. She’ll know what to do,” Noct said, his voice wavering slightly.  
  
“Wonderful!” the Chancellor clapped his hands together. “I would very much like to greet Her Majesty.”  
  
“Absolutely not,” Noct said as he gathered up his fishing gear.  
  
Ardyn pouted again. “I know she and I didn't exactly part in the best of ways…”  
  
“That is just... _fuck me_ , Ardyn, that is such a gross understatement. Do you even hear yourself? No, you will not set one foot within a hundred miles of my wife -- is that understood?”  
  
The Chancellor nodded slightly.  
  
“You stay here. I'll be back...I don't know, later? Time is weird here. Just...just stay put.”  
  
“I am no stranger to waiting,” said Ardyn, taking a seat on the pier.  
  
Noctis began to walk away, Umbra following along beside him, down the pier and through the scrubland. As he did, he heard Ardyn shouting after him.  
  
“Noctis! Did you mean it when you said ‘fuck me, Ardyn’? It could be easily arranged if you liked, dear Noct! Oh, but you're a married man now, aren't you...Well, it could be our little secret!”  
  
The King could feel the Chancellor’s shit-eating grin burning a hole into his back from 10 yards away. He rolled his eyes and started walking ever so slightly faster.  
  
He was equal parts confused and aggravated by Ardyn’s sudden appearance -- who _wouldn’t_ be? -- but he also had to admit that it had been kind of nice to speak to someone who wasn't Luna. And it was even nicer to have someone compliment his fishing, after all this time away from his friends. Even if it was silver-tongued Ardyn Izunia, whose compliments couldn’t be told apart from his insults more often than not, and who had _very_ little concept of personal boundaries.  
  
He transported himself back to the Afterlife-Citadel, dissolving from the wilderness and reappearing at the bottom of the staircase where his fateful journey had both begun and ended. And as he rematerialized there on the steps, rod and tackle box in hand, he had but one thought in his mind: _Gods, how in the world am I going to explain all of this to Luna?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis consults Lunafreya about the situation with Ardyn, and things...don't go quite as he thought they would?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, y'all -- I was not AT ALL expecting to have another chapter up this soon after the last one, but MY HAND SLIPPED and then suddenly I had almost 1500 words so...Here you go! :)))

The King found his Queen relaxing with a book in a reading nook that was built into a window in a corner of the Royal Library. Pryna kept watch by her side. Noctis had his fishing to keep him busy, and Luna had her literature. It was lucky that it seemed this heavenly library was stocked with the same books that had been in the library of the Citadel in the Living World. The Oracle’s visit to Insomnia had been marred by the disastrous events of the peace treaty signing, and there hadn’t exactly been time for a grand tour of the skyscraper. But there were all sorts of books here -- both fanciful novels and thick, dusty tomes -- that could not be found in Tenebrae, and Lunafreya was pleased to spend eternity slowly but surely devouring each and every one of them.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Noctis sank into a high-backed leather chair adjacent to the window, crossing his legs as he sat. Umbra and Pryna touched noses in greeting, excitedly dancing around one another and yipping like they were really just regular dogs happy to see one another after a long absence, and not supernatural creatures with untold powers. They curled up together, snout to snout, in the space before the nook.  
  
His Lady was so engrossed in her book, she hardly seemed to notice his arrival until he reached out and gently poked her arm.  
  
“Oh! Noctis, you startled me. Welcome back, darling. And you found Umbra! You little rascal, running off like that for ages. You had us worried sick,” she reached over and scratched the dark pup’s rump. He wagged his tail appreciatively for his mistress in response. She smiled as she closed her book with her thumb in between the pages. “Catch anything interesting today, my King?”  
  
No matter how many times he saw it in person, that radiant smile always made Noct’s heart catch in his throat. He wished Prompto had been able to meet his Princess, after everything he’d been through. Noct supposed he would get to, eventually, when Prompto had finished his business on the other side. He really hoped so anyway -- Noctis wasn’t exactly sure how the rules worked here regarding how people got to see one another. Luna was here with him, but his mother, who had passed away when Noct was very young, was not. And neither was his father -- but he thought maybe that could have been something to do with King Regis having become one of the Lucii. With the destruction of the Ring, Noctis figured his father’s immortal soul had been obliterated in much the same way Ardyn’s had.  
  
Which brought him back to the situation at hand.  
  
“Funny you should ask. Umbra wasn’t the only one I found today,” he propped his elbow up on the leather chair’s arm and held his chin pensively. “You’ll never believe who the dog dragged home.”  
  
He could see the curiosity flickering in her bright eyes, “Do tell, Noctis.”  
  
“Imperial Chancellor Izunia. Or Ardyn Lucis Caelum, I guess. Who _should_ be really, _really_ dead -- like, more dead than we are, dead. Whose soul _should_ be at eternal rest -- meaning never coming back -- because, you know, I _literally_ gave my life for it,” the more he talked, the more fired up Noct was getting about it.  
  
_Not bitter at all. No sir._  
  
“Yeah, he said he basically woke up in oblivion, suddenly existing again. There was a trail of sylleblossoms that led him out, and then he followed Umbra here, to me. He’s currently over on the pier...I don’t know, searching for his conscience, maybe? I probably shouldn’t have left him by himself, but I just...I didn’t want him anywhere near you.”  
  
“Well, that’s very noble of you, my dear husband, and I do appreciate your defending me like that. But of course...you do realize I cannot _die again_ , Noctis? He cannot harm me here. Let him come, if he likes,” Luna said firmly.  
  
Noct frowned, “I gotta admit I was expecting a little more shock and anger in your reaction, Luna.”  
  
She slid a bookmark into her tome and put it to the side, giving her full attention to the King. Her smile became a look of calm determination: _the face of the Oracle, She who Communes with the Gods_. Noct swallowed hard.  
  
“Shock, certainly. But anger?” she shook her head softly.  
  
“I became Oracle at sixteen, and that was when I learned that both you and I had destinies to fulfill, Noctis -- and those destinies would end in both of our deaths. Heavy news for a young girl, is it not? I was angry then, yes, and for a time I railed against it, much to Gentiana’s chagrin,” she grinned slightly, clearly remembering some small, rebellious act from her past. “But eventually I came to accept that my sacrifice would save countless others. Just as yours did. Whether I died slowly as my body continued to deteriorate with each Covenant I forged, or whether I died swiftly at the hands of the Accursed...it mattered not, as long as you carried on. So no, Noctis -- I am not angry. I let go of my anger quite some time ago.”  
  
Noct was looking down at his lap. He mumbled something.  
  
“What was that, darling? I couldn’t quite hear you.”  
  
He looked up at her, and his sapphire eyes were glistening with tears, “I said, ‘It mattered to me.’ Your death. It mattered to me, Luna. He took you from me -- I had to _watch_ while he _stabbed you_ and there was _nothing I could do_.”  
  
Luna got up from her seat and kneeled in front of the King, taking his hands in hers, “Oh, Noctis! Forgive me, I didn’t mean to upset you so. I only mean to say that all three of us -- the Chosen King, the Oracle, and the Accursed -- were marked from the beginning, and there was nothing any of us could have done to waver from our paths. But now it is over, and we are free to walk as we wish, so why not just...live, so to speak?”  
  
Noct recalled what Ardyn had said to him earlier.  
  
_We played the parts we were meant to play -- and now we are but shades in the realm of the dead. Could we not just...enjoy ourselves?_  
  
Why was he the only one who couldn’t let go?  
  
“It wasn’t fair, Luna. None of it was fair,” his tears had begun to spill down his face.  
  
“No, it wasn’t. But we gave our lives to save our world. In the end, that is the highest calling for the Oracle and the King -- to protect our people. And now there is Dawn again in Eos, thanks to you. Let yourself have happiness, Noct,” she kissed his forehead, wiped the tears from his cheeks, and stood up.  
  
Noctis sniffled, rubbed his face with his sleeve, and nodded to her.  
  
Luna walked to the opposite corner, her frilly white dress moving in waves behind her, and plucked Noct’s fishing rod from where he’d leaned it against the wall. She brought it over to the chair and handed it to him. “Now then. Do you have another one of these?”  
  
“Yeah, but it might be too big for you…”  
  
She giggled, “It’s not for me, silly. Take it for the Chancellor.”  
  
Noct shot out of his chair, “No way.”  
  
“Come now, Noctis. What were we just saying about living? And happiness? You have to start somewhere,” she clasped her hands together and gave him her best pouty face, “Do it for me?”  
  
The King sighed deeply, “Fine. I’ll try. But I’m only doing this for you. And if things go sideways, I get to say ‘I told you so.’ Deal?”  
  
Lunafreya’s joyful face lit up the whole room, and Noctis felt as though his heart had grown three sizes just by looking at her. He bent down to grab his tackle box and went off to find the other rod. Hearing his master leaving the room, Umbra perked up and trotted along after him.  
  
Once she was certain her husband was out of earshot, the Oracle sat back down in the window nook. Gentiana appeared at her left side, wearing her usual black and white dress and enigmatic expression. A tall, broad-shouldered man with beautiful eyelashes and dark hair swept back into long, gravity-defying serpentine twists appeared at her right. His black and gold scale mail armor clinked lightly as he crossed his arms.  
  
“I still do not like this idea,” the man said, his voice a deep bass.  
  
Gentiana scoffed at him, “You mislike any idea that is not yours, Draconian.”  
  
“Please, give it time,” Luna implored, “and have faith in them both.”  
  
She watched out of the window as Noctis departed the Citadel and disappeared into the aether carrying a large tackle box and two fishing rods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the lack of Ardyn in this one, but don't worry -- he'll be back next time. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis returns from visiting Luna and sets about the business of doing some leisurely angling with Ardyn. The Chancellor, however, has other plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, and for the comments and kudos! It's been a Really Bad Time at my day job lately and this is what I do to Escape, so seeing all of your feedback really, truly means a lot. Please accept my undying love and gratitude. ♥

Noct rematerialized beneath a nearly bare tree in the scrublands, his fishing rods and the large tackle box in hand. Umbra ran a few excited circles around him, his tail wagging to and fro like a flag flapping in a harsh wind, before setting off in the direction of the pier. Noctis followed the Messenger through the vegetation, taking care not to catch the poles on any of the low-hanging branches and outstretched twigs in his way.  
  
As he got closer to the pier, he thought he heard a distinctly familiar sound: A melody. Someone singing? Luna absent-mindedly hummed a tune, on occasion, but it had been so long since he had heard someone truly sing… He pushed the last of the brush aside, coming to stand where the wooden planks met the shore.  
  
He found Ardyn sitting exactly how he had left him, seated at the end of the pier with his legs casually dangling off. It struck Noct suddenly: _This_ was where the melody was coming from -- _Ardyn was singing_. It seemed an absurd thing, like if a phoenix bass were to carry a tune. And yet the Chancellor’s voice was a clear, rich baritone, the aural equivalent of Ignis’ favorite Ebony coffee. Ardyn’s usual spoken drawls and flourishes worked well when sung somehow too; they just became perfectly-placed vibratos instead, drawing out the ends of the phrases for maximum emotional impact. It wasn’t until Ardyn reached what seemed to be the chorus that Noctis realized he _knew_ the song...  
  
_So darling, darling stand by me  
__Oh stand by me…  
  
_...He’d just never heard it with words before. He made a mental note to ask the Chancellor about it later.  
  
Ardyn must have heard Noctis rattle the tackle box somehow, because he abruptly stopped singing and looked over his shoulder at the King.  
  
“Are you going to stand there _admiring me from afar_ for the rest of eternity, Noct, or will you be joining me?” he asked, smirking wickedly.  
  
Noctis rolled his eyes and made his way down the pier towards the Chancellor. He put down the tackle box, placed his own rod on the ground, and then shoved the larger fishing rod at the taller man, who hesitated to take it at first, but then grasped the pole with both hands.  
  
“Far be it from me to question your judgment, Noctis...” the King nearly choked on his own saliva as he inhaled a half-laugh, “but are you _certain_ this is a good idea? I wouldn’t want to hurt His Majesty’s feelings by _out-performing_ him at his _favorite_ sport...”  
  
_Oh, that’s it_ , Noct thought. _This fucker’s going down.  
  
_ “First of all, asshole, this was Luna’s idea -- not mine. Secondly, I’ve reeled in the Liege of the Lake _and_ the Devil of the Cygillan. I’m not intimidated by you.”  
  
Ardyn gave a hearty laugh at that. “ _Well_ then! Should that be the case, dear Noct, perhaps you would indulge me in a bit of friendly competition? I must admit, it has been some time since someone was _not_ _intimidated_ by me, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't _intrigued_ by the idea of taking full advantage of the circumstance.”  
  
The King crossed his arms, “What sort of competition are we talking about here?”  
  
Ardyn scratched his head and mulled it over for a moment before answering. “Hmm. What if we keep it simple for this first round: the angler who catches the larger fish wins.”  
  
“And the stakes?”  
  
“If I win…” the Chancellor grinned, “You will take me to see Her Majesty Lunafreya, so that I might thank her for her thoughtfulness in including me in your fishing outing, despite your... _objections_ on the matter.”  
  
Noct’s first instinct was to grab Ardyn's stupid coat lapels and scream _No_ directly into his ridiculous face. What didn't he understand about staying as far away from his wife as possible? But then he remembered Luna’s words to him in the Library: _He cannot harm me here. Let him come, if he likes_.  
  
Noctis answered through gritted teeth, “ _Fine_. But if you do anything to hurt her --”  
  
“Yes, yes, you will _swiftly_ devise a way to toss me back into the Void from whence I sprang, I'm sure,” Ardyn gestured as though waving off Noct’s threat like a small, irritating insect. “Now then, Your Majesty, what would you claim as your prize, should you win?”  
  
The King pondered. What he _really_ wanted was for Ardyn to just go away and leave him alone...but Noctis was also mildly concerned about the trouble the Chancellor might get into if he abandoned him. Casting him out _was_ how his entire life story had come to pass, after all. Better to have Ardyn where he could see him, no matter how exasperating he could be. _Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.  
  
_ “I guess…” Noct answered, after a time, “I guess I’d like to know more about you. I want the _truth_. What happened to Ardyn Lucis Caelum, all those years ago?”  
  
For a split second a dour expression crossed Ardyn’s face, but as quickly as it appeared, it was replaced by his usual devilish grin, “Oh _Noct_ , if all you desired was to play _Truth or Dare_ with me -- well, you really needn’t have brought all of this equipment…” He used the fishing rod in his hands to point at the tackle box.  
  
Noct clenched his jaw, “Yes or no, Ardyn?”  
  
The Chancellor shifted the fishing rod to his left hand, laid his right hand across his chest and bowed curtly at the waist. He smiled at Noctis, “I accept the terms of the competition, Your Majesty.”  
  
“Good. So let’s choose lures,” said Noct, nodding towards the tackle box, “I’ll even let you have first pick.”  
  
“My, aren’t we _confident_ , Noctis?” Ardyn chuckled as he carefully sifted through the King’s selection of Poppecks, Bombers, and Burrowers, before selecting a Gold Gigantuar. “I do so _love_ facing a headstrong adversary. It’s simply more _satisfying_ to watch them _break_.”  
  
Noct pulled out his Big Master Typhon lure and began attaching it to his line. It was probably overkill, but he _really_ needed to win this. He figured the longer he could keep Ardyn talking about his past -- a topic the Chancellor clearly had some... _intense_ feelings about -- the longer he could keep the man away from Luna. There was no more to it than that.  
  
The King noticed his opponent struggling ever so slightly to tie off his lure. “You alright over there, old-timer? You sure you’ve even been fishing before?”  
  
Ardyn narrowed his eyes, “My fingers are merely a bit jittery from the shock of _existing again_. Do you really think, Noctis, that in _two thousand years_ \-- most of which were spent in _complete_ solitude but for the _delightful_ company of the daemons infesting my body -- I never _once_ took up a rod and fended for myself?”  
  
“Alright, alright, I get it. Sorry,” he held his hand up in apology. Noct hadn’t expected the minor lecture, which really raised more questions than it answered...but now was not the time. “Ready to cast?”  
  
The Chancellor checked his line, and then checked it again just to be sure. “Indeed,” he said. “And may the best angler win.”  
  
Standing at the edge of the pier, Ardyn on the left and Noctis on the right, the two men took aim and cast their lines into the pool, lures sailing through the air and each landing with a _plop_ in the water. Umbra sat between them, his tail wagging softly.  


\----  
  
 _A little ways away along the shoreline, invisible to human eyes, two observers studied the scene. Gentiana and Bahamut had been watching since Noctis had returned to the scrublands, had seen as he and Ardyn struck their deal. Now things were about to get interesting._  
  
_“Shall we intervene?” asked Gentiana._  
  
_The Draconian stood stoically, his greaves sinking into the sand. “The Oracle bade us be patient, so patient we shall be.”_  
  
_With her eyes closed and her hands clasped before her, the Glacian’s expression revealed nothing._  
  
\----  
  


Noctis was the first to feel a tug on his line -- the strong, rhythmic pull of a decently-sized fish. He dug in his heels and started to reel in his prize. The fish was darting this way and that, and Noct groaned with the effort of keeping his catch on the line.  
  
“Need I remind you that _you_ are supposed to reel in the _fish_ , Noct, and not the other way around?” Ardyn laughed. As he did so, the tip of his rod suddenly dipped towards the water, and the Chancellor yanked back to hook his catch.  
  
“Talk about _backseat...fishing_...” Noct grunted as he gave one last heave, lifting a long, thin gar from the water. He used his grippers to pull the cumbersome thing onto the pier, panting the whole time, and desperately wished Gladio were there to help.  
  
Meanwhile, the Chancellor was swaying back and forth in time with the movements of his catch as he reeled, taking breaks here and there to ease off.  
  
“Gods, Ardyn, what the hell? Quit _dancing_ with the damn thing and reel it in,” Noct said, standing with his hands on his hips and one foot pinning his fish to the pier.  
  
“Ha! _Now_ who is the backseat fisher, Noct? I assure you, I know what I’m doing,” Ardyn replied smoothly. “See? Here she comes now.”  
  
Noctis went to hand Ardyn the grippers as his fish broke the water, but to his utter shock Ardyn instead squatted down, put one foot on his pole to keep it from getting dragged away, then reached down towards the water and slowly hauled up a hefty catfish by the gills with both hands. The Chancellor took a moment to unceremoniously maneuver the hook from the fish’s mouth, freeing it from the line and the rod, allowing him to stand. The catfish gave a few jerks as Ardyn strained to rise with the weight of it.  
  
“So, Your Majesty -- the moment of truth arrives. You show me yours, and I’ll show you mine?” Ardyn grinned, both hands still thumbs-deep in the catfish’s maw.  
  
Noct swallowed. He couldn’t help but gape at the sight. He was beginning to feel like he may have underestimated what two thousand years of boredom could do to a man...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry ~~not sorry~~ for the cliffy, but I wanted to get something posted for you lovely readers before the work-week began and time got away from me! Who shall reign victorious in this battle of kings? Find out next time... :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A winner is crowned (or are they?), Noct learns something new, and Ardyn continues to be a Royal Pain in the Ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the continued love/kudos/comments on this work! It's been a joy to write, and to interact with you all. Please don't be shy -- I really want to know what you like and want to see more of, etc. ~~Also my husband is tired of talking to me about this game hahaha *sweats*~~
> 
> Enjoy! ♥

“We seem to be at a bit of an impasse, Your Majesty,” said Ardyn, smirking mischievously.  
  
“An impasse. _Really_. How do you figure that, since my gar is seriously like a _whole foot_ longer than your catfish?”  
  
“Indeed it is. And _had_ we assented to a contest based on length, then you would _surely_ be the uncontested winner -- well, the winner where _fish_ are concerned, at least. I certainly can’t speak to any _other_ category of lengths, or whether your victory would be _quite_ so assured in that case…” the Chancellor let his amber eyes stray pointedly to Noct’s crotch, where he seemed to space out for a moment before he snapped back to attention, his gaze returning upwards.  
  
Noctis made a sour face. Was he the _only one_ who _never_ felt the need to make dick references while fishing? Astrals have mercy...  
  
“But I digress. I believe you'll recall we agreed that the victor would be the angler to catch the _largest_ fish...and I can tell you without hesitation that my catfish weighs _easily_ ten pounds more than your gar.”  
  
“Ardyn...You can’t be serious right now. We had a deal,” Noct rubbed at his face with one hand, the other poised on his hip.  
  
The tall man shrugged his broad shoulders loosely, “‘Tisn’t _my_ fault you consented without being more clear about whether we were assessing our prizes by _length_ or by _girth_ , Your Majesty.”  
  
Noctis could feel his blood pressure rising. He took a deep breath through his nose, silently wishing to the Six that they weren’t already dead and that he still had access to the Armiger, so he could have the pleasure of killing Ardyn again with every weapon at his disposal.  
  
“Oh _my_ ,” purred the Chancellor, “What a _familiar_ expression that is! Come now, Noctis dear -- Can we not strike a compromise, like the luminous dignitaries we once were?”  
  
“Oh, for _fuck’s sake_ …” Noct sighed and threw up his hands. “Okay, _fine_ , I’ll bite. What do you _suggest_?”  
  
Ardyn’s face lit up at the King’s acknowledgement. “I _merely_ propose that we _both_ get what we want. You bring me to the Citadel to see Lady Lunafreya, and while we are there I will regale you with tales of whatever you wish to know about my past. Well, what I can remember of it, at any rate -- two millennia of memories is so very much to fit into one’s skull, you see. I fear I’ve forgotten more than I ever knew to begin with. But I shall do my best.”  
  
As pissed off as Noct was that their contest had come to a draw -- that wasn't even _really_ a draw, godsdamnit, _he_ was the King of Fishing! -- he felt he knew Ardyn well enough at this point to be able to predict what would happen: Any further attempts at keeping him from the Citadel would be met with similar results. Maybe he wasn't a super-villain anymore, but the Chancellor would _always_ be a conniving motherfucker, and there would _always_ be some loophole for him to manipulate. Choosing to save his energy for another battle, Noctis gave in.  
  
“Alright. Look, you're a complete bastard for wanting to compromise on a technicality -- I need you to know that. But...this is...fair enough, I guess,” he had a passing thought that compromising with Ardyn felt like making deals with the Infernian, and then realized with a shudder how startlingly close to the truth that really was. “I get to make one demand though: I’ll start us off by asking you something first, before we go to Luna. Deal?”  
  
Ardyn took off his hat and bowed to the King, “As you desire, Your Majesty. What is it you wish to know?”  
  
“The song you were singing earlier…” he began dragging the gar to the edge of the pier, and rolled it back into the water with a grunt, where it hit the surface with a _splash_. No use for it now. “I've heard it before, but I never knew it had words. What is it?”  
  
The Chancellor followed Noct’s lead and returned his catfish to the pool as well. He twirled a bit in place as he hummed the melody he had been singing so beautifully on the pier. Umbra -- who had been loyally guarding the fish -- joined them then, running around Ardyn’s feet and howling softly in such a way that it almost sounded like he was singing along. Noct couldn't help but smile a little at how ridiculous it all was.  
  
Ardyn bent down to pat Umbra, who closed his eyes approvingly, “Oh yes, you recognize the tune, don't you, Messenger? If you've been around as long as I think you have, I'm sure you do.”  
  
“Is it that old?” asked Noct.  
  
“Ah, that's right, you're unaware of the lyrics -- I suppose it's not surprising. They were lost to the ages some time ago. I might have been the only one alive who still knew them, at the time of our deaths. Which means they're now lost forever...hm. I can't say I am particularly sad about that. The song is about me, Noct.”  
  
“Hold on...What?”  
  
Ardyn sat down hard on the pier, as though he had been depleted of all energy. “Well, not _me_ , me. Not Ardyn Izunia, but the _Accursed_ , and the _Prophecy_. So in a roundabout way, dear Noct, it's really about you, too.”  
  
He began to sing, his deep voice carrying out over the water:  
  
_When the Night has come_  
 _And the Land is dark_  
 _And the Moon is the only Light we’ll see_  
 _No I won't be afraid_  
 _Oh I won't be afraid_  
 _Just as long as you stand by me_  
  
Noct stood a few feet behind Ardyn, stunned. “I remember my mother used to hum that to me when I had trouble sleeping. Before she died.”  
  
“Interesting. She passed before you were chosen by the Crystal, did she not? She was unaware of your destiny, then? Perhaps she just happened to know the melody -- it's been floating around Lucis as a folk-tune for centuries,” Ardyn paused a few moments before continuing, “She was beautiful, your mother Aulea. And much loved by the Lucian people. Your father was lucky indeed, to have known such love in his life...”  
  
“Who wrote it?”  
  
“I'm sorry?”  
  
“The song -- it had to have a writer. Who wrote it?”  
  
“Goodness, Noct, but if you aren't the inquisitive one. If you must know...it was my own mother. She was a bit of a poet queen,” Ardyn said, looking wistfully at the sky.  
  
Noctis suddenly understood where the Chancellor must have gotten his flair for words.  
  
“After I was...after everything happened, she still believed in me. She wrote that song for me -- her _son_ \-- so I...I guess it is about Ardyn _Lucis Caelum_ , in truth. Or it was meant to be, at least. But I was too far gone to hear it. And so the song became a rallying cry against the Accursed instead -- to fight back against the Night...As you so admirably did, Noctis.”  
  
Ardyn, still seated on the pier, leaned forward and put his face in his hands. At some point during his story, Umbra had curled up beside him. It took Noct another moment to pull himself together and unstick himself from his spot. He went to Ardyn.  
  
The Chancellor felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Noct’s determined face looking back down at him.  
  
“Let's go see Luna,” said the King, and as Ardyn nodded in return, the two men and the Messenger disappeared into the aether, their gear strewn across the pier, forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Standard disclaimer that I don't own Stand By Me...but if I did, I would _still_ use it to break your hearts. :))))


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noct brings Ardyn to meet Luna, who has some choice words for the Chancellor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big huge thank you to all of you for reading, commenting, and leaving kudos! You guys are wonderful and I'm so pleased you're enjoying this wacky thing. ♥
> 
> I broke my own heart a little bit writing parts of this chapter, so uh...I'm sorry, hahaha...

Ardyn was still seated on the ground when they appeared at the base of the staircase before the Citadel. Noctis let go of his shoulder, brushed himself off, and began to walk up the stairs. Umbra took off running, leaving both men behind.  
  
“Noct,” Ardyn called out. The King turned around mid-step to find Ardyn was holding his hat in his hands, looking sheepish. He hadn’t moved an inch from where they had rematerialized. “I confess I felt very confident about this prior to coming here, but now that I stand before the grand Citadel of Insomnia once again, I feel…hesitant.”  
  
Noctis paused before speaking, considering his words carefully. “Well, I mean, considering that the last time you were here, I put my dad’s sword through your heart like, right over there,” he gestured vaguely West, “I get that. But here’s the thing, Ardyn. Look around you -- you see all this destruction, right? The crumbling buildings and everything. This place is a mirror of the Living World. The one _you_ destroyed. You gotta face the music sometime. And you don’t have your daemons to hide behind anymore.”  
  
Ardyn fiddled with his hat, “Yes. You’re...probably right.”  
  
Noct stood halfway up the stairs, his arms crossed, looking down at his former arch-nemesis. “Tch. I’m right and you know it. Now walk tall, Ardyn Lucis Caelum. I’ve never known you to have cold feet about a damn thing.”  
  
The Chancellor quietly placed his hat on his head and began to walk up the stairs, a somber expression on his face.  
  


\--------  
  
  
Umbra led them to the Courtyard, where they found Lunafreya sitting in an elaborate stone chair in the sunshine, her nose in a small book. Pryna sat at her feet, her tail wagging as the group came towards them. Umbra woofed softly and nuzzled his friend.  
  
Luna looked up from her book, “Noctis, you’re back. And I see you’ve brought a _guest_.”  
  
“Yeah, some trash got stuck on my shoes when I was coming home. Sorry for dragging it in,” said Noct with a smirk, elbowing the Chancellor in the side. Ardyn stiffened visibly.  
  
“Chancellor Izunia. It has been some time.”  
  
“Indeed it has. And please, my Lady, I would be honored if you simply called me Ardyn.”  
  
“Hmm. Alright. But there is one thing we must get out of the way first, before I will do so,” she placed her bookmark into her novel and set it aside. “Come here and stand before me, Chancellor.”  
  
Ardyn looked briefly at Noct, who shrugged at him in response. He walked the few feet forward to the stone chair (or was it a throne?) so that he stood in front of Lunafreya, whose Messenger guardians flanked her on either side. He took off his hat and gave her a brief bow from the waist.  
  
“Good,” said Luna. “Now _kneel_.”  
  
Noctis blinked. In his wildest dreams, _he_ was usually the one on the receiving end of _that_ line. _Damn_. He felt his face flush slightly. He had absolutely no idea what was happening, but he wasn’t about to get in his Queen’s way -- in the Beyond, as in Life, Lunafreya was a force of nature, and to try to stop her once she’d set her mind to something was to play at stopping a cyclone.  
  
Ardyn dropped to one knee and lowered his gaze before the Oracle, who rose from her seat on the stone throne.  
  
“Raise your eyes, Chancellor. Look at me,” she commanded, standing right in front of him.  
  
Ardyn obeyed, lifting his chin, his honey-gold eyes shining in the sunlight --  
  
\-- Lunafreya slapped him across the face the second their eyes met, her open palm leaving a red streak along his cheekbone. Noctis flinched in sympathy.  
  
“Ah,” Ardyn smiled sadly, holding his hand to his cheek, where the mark had already begun to fade away, “I dare say I did have that coming.”  
  
“Yes, you did,” said the Oracle. “You may have saved me the horror of a slow, _agonizing_ death by way of the Covenants, and for that I suppose I owe you a small measure of gratitude. But what I could _not_ abide was the _slap in the face_ when I was merely trying to _help_ you.”  
  
“My Lady Lunafreya,” Ardyn frowned, “I...You _knew_ the Prophecy. You _knew_ the Accursed could not be destroyed by the Oracle’s power alone. I didn’t understand why you would bother to try. The darkness inside me was so great...my sins beyond redemption…”  
  
Luna reached down and took his hands, prompting him to stand up. “I _had_ to try -- I could _feel_ how deeply you suffered inside. You once healed people of the Scourge yourself. Was there really _never_ a time when you tried to save someone, knowing full well it was already a lost cause? Or when you thought, ‘Maybe I cannot save them, but if I could just ease their pain, that would be enough’?”  
  
For a moment Ardyn froze, as though remembering another time, another place. Suddenly he bowed deeply, and brought one of Luna’s hands to his lips to give it a gentlemanly kiss. “My Lady, I do not deserve your kindness. But for whatever it might be worth at this juncture...I apologize for striking you.”  
  
“Thank you...Ardyn,” Luna smiled gently at the Chancellor, then looked over at Noct, who was standing in the corner with his hand over his mouth, stunned by what he had just witnessed.  
  
“Oh, what I wouldn't _give_ for a glass of Altissian red at a time like this!” Ardyn laughed, deftly changing the subject. “Have you ever had the _pleasure_ , Noct?”  
  
Noctis shook his head. “Can’t say that I have. I was, uh...a little busy when we passed through Altissia…”  
  
The Chancellor rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t suppose we could simply... _conjure_ a bottle? ‘Twould be a rather _poor excuse_ for an Afterlife if one could neither drink, nor call forth any item on a whim, would it not?”  
  
“Conjuring items is possible, but there seems to be a catch...” Luna began to explain as she returned to her seat. She relaxed back in the throne and crossed her legs.  
  
“Oh?” Ardyn raised an eyebrow at the Oracle.  
  
“Seems like I’m the only one who can make things? We’re not sure why,” said Noct. “But whatever I make is based on my vision or experience of that thing. So if I made a bottle of Altissian red, which I've never had before...it might turn out tasting a lot different than how you remember it.”  
  
“Well, beggars cannot be choosers, as they say,” Ardyn shrugged. “As long as it’s better than that Gralean piss they call liquor in Niflheim...” he scrunched his face, “I won’t be fussed.”  
  
“Suit yourself. How about we go have a seat in the hearthroom. Luna and I can grab glasses from the kitchen on the way.” He began to exit the room, Ardyn following along behind him.  
  
  
\--------  
  
  
Unseen to Ardyn and Noctis, Gentiana and Bahamut stood behind the stone chair.  
  
Bahamut whispered to Luna, “Are you certain this is wise, Oracle? We know not what tricks the Accursed has up his sleeve. And his sleeves are _prodigious_.”  
  
Gentiana frowned at her companion and put a hand on Luna’s shoulder, “We will protect you.”  
  
“I am grateful, as always. But the Accursed was destroyed by Providence, as you witnessed,” the Oracle whispered back. “This man, for all his darkness and his mistakes, is just that -- a man. I do not understand why you two, out of all of us, cannot see this.”  
  
Lunafreya waved the avatars away and hustled to catch up, Umbra and Pryna tight at her heels.  
  
  
\--------  
  
  
She found the men halfway down the hall.  
  
“Thought I’d lost you,” Noctis teased.  
  
“Never,” she smiled, taking his hand. “Just putting away my book.”  
  
Noctis lowered his voice, “By the way...I thought you said you _weren't_ angry. That you had let it go. What _was_ that back there?”  
  
“Oh Noctis, just because I accepted my destiny does _not_ mean I must put up with disrespect towards my person. Besides, you already had _your_ opportunity for vengeance. Can't a girl have some fun too?” She squeezed his hand and winked at him before dipping into a nearby door -- the kitchen.  
  
Ardyn cleared his throat, “I'm certainly glad to see that of all my plans, at least your betrothal to one another was not _entirely_ off the mark.”  
  
Noct was silent. He couldn't quite bear to say the words out loud -- that yes, it was lovely to finally be with Luna, and to have her forever...but to know that they would always be stuck as they were when they died was devastating, sometimes. They would never grow old together, never have a family together. They had been crystallized by their fates, and the worst part was that it had all been preordained millennia before they were even born.  
  
“Struck a nerve, have I?” The Chancellor interrupted Noct’s brooding. “My apologies, Noct. Good thing we are about to drink all of that away, yes? Ah, and here comes your beloved with the supplies.”  
  
Ardyn and Noctis reached out to help her carry the items in question: a crystal decanter elaborately engraved with the Lucian skull motif, and three matching, long-stemmed glasses. Once they were sure everyone had the fragile things tightly in hand, they set off down the hall once more.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna has a request, Noct makes a mistake, and Ardyn monologues about how salty he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the awesome comments last chapter! It warmed my heart to see all the "YOU GO GIRL"s for Luna in my Inbox, ahahaha. You guys are great. ♥
> 
> Please enjoy...the weirdness that is this chapter. :')
> 
> ETA: I've also bumped up the Rating as of this chapter, based on the contents and what I predict will be happening going forward. In reality it's like a high T/low M, but...just in case.

The hearthroom seemed like it belonged in a fancy, members-only hunting lodge in the deep woods, rather than in the middle of a half-ruined skyscraper that had, until recently, housed an ancient line of royalty. On the dark walls hung portraits of various members of the Lucian family and other pieces of fine art. The hearth itself was made of black marble stones, and took up what little space was left beneath a massive taxidermied behemoth head that occupied most of the wall. Two earthy-brown leather sofas and a smaller matching chair stood square to the hearth, which would allow their occupants to take in the warmth of the flames. A small glass table sat atop a luxurious black fur rug in the center of the square.  
  
Noctis carefully placed the crystal decanter on the table and stood back. Luna and Ardyn followed suit, setting down the long-stemmed glasses and stepping away.  
  
“Praytell, precisely how does this work?” asked the Chancellor, his arms crossed. He brought a hand up to rub the stubble at his chin.  
  
“No clue, really. I just kind of...focus, and then something appears,” said Noct. “Just watch.”  
  
The King closed his eyes. His face scrunched up at first, but then it seemed as though he were imagining something very relaxing, and his expression went slack. Before their eyes, the empty decanter was suddenly full of a red liquid the color of garnets.  
  
“ _Fascinating_ ,” Ardyn grinned, still stroking his chin. He bent over to examine the contents of the decanter more closely.  
  
“Shall we light the hearth, Noctis?” asked Luna. “Obviously we won’t freeze to death without it, but there’s something relaxing about a nice fire.”  
  
Noct thought to himself that maybe the only reason Luna could say that was because she hadn’t been at the penultimate battle with the Infernian. He still had waking nightmares about it occasionally -- Insomnia in flames, Ifrit throwing his Crownsguard to the ground, setting them all afire, and Bahamut’s swords cleaving the sky. He shifted uncomfortably but nodded to Luna, despite how much he wanted to say _No_.  
  
Ardyn watched this exchange curiously.  
  
“Perhaps I might be of assistance?” he inquired, one hand on his hip.  
  
“It’s fine, Ardyn. I’ve got this,” said the King as he walked past his guest to the empty hearth. Kneeling down, he began to create the materials to build a fire: logs, a couple more logs, and...um…  
  
Ardyn leaned against the wall and looked down at the King, “All that time camping, and making a fire without elemancy is beyond your grasp?”  
  
Noctis looked mournful as he stared into the empty hearth. “...Gladio always did it. I never paid much attention. Was always too busy horsing around with Prompto, or bothering Ignis, or off fishing...”  
  
“Tinder, kindling, and a source of flame,” said the Chancellor out of the blue. Noct looked up at him and he shrugged and looked away. “That’s what you’ll need. Tinder that catches fire swiftly, kindling to keep it going, and a source to light it.”  
  
Noctis found himself staring. “I thought you hated camping?”  
  
“Certainly. As would _you_ , I surmise, were you _forced_ to live in the wild and _survive alone_ for as long as I did. How do you think I became such a _proficient_ angler? Well, that was before I figured out I didn’t actually _need_ sustenance to stay alive...” He looked pointedly at Luna, who had taken a seat on one of the couches, “Besides all that, the Oracles’ Wards on the Havens made me... _profoundly_ uncomfortable. The closer I drew to a Haven, the more intensely I could feel _each individual creature_ crawling beneath my skin, wriggling along in my bloodstream. Your ancestresses were powerful indeed, my Lady, for the Wards to have lasted so long.”  
  
Luna smiled at the Chancellor, “I _may_ have also been renewing the Wards as I encountered them in my travels. How else was I to keep the Chosen King safe, if I could not be at his side?”  
  
Ardyn chuckled, “Mhm. As to be expected from a _dutiful_ daughter of the Fleuret line.”  
  
Suddenly, there was a burst of heat from the wall as a fire literally _exploded_ to life in the hearth. Noctis was bowled over by the blast. Ardyn jumped a few feet away, his longcoat narrowly escaping getting caught by the flames. Invisible to both of them, Bahamut and Gentiana had stepped in front of the Oracle, shielding her. As Luna and Ardyn had been chatting, they hadn’t noticed the King quickly conjuring materials and assembling them into a pile. They also hadn’t noticed him igniting that pile with --

Ardyn picked up a tiny can from the floor, noticed the matchbook that had been lying next to it. “Noctis. This is _gasoline_.”  
  
“You said we needed something to start the fire with.”  
  
“Your Majesty,” he sighed, offering Noct a hand and pulling him up from the floor, “I _implore_ you to let me do this next time. We may already be dead, but I for one would very much like to keep my _eyebrows_ _intact_ during my stay here in the Beyond.”  
  
Lunafreya made a strange, choking sound, and the two men turned to face her. As they did, they found her with her hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. At first Noct was alarmed and rushed to her side, thinking she had been injured by the fire somehow, but as he sat down next to her he realized -- she was _muffling laughter_.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” Luna sniffled through her giggles. She wiped her eyes. “It’s just...this is all so _absurd_. Here we are: the Last Oracle, the Chosen King, and the man who was the Immortal Accursed, nearly committing _arson_ in the Lucian Citadel.”  
  
“I will drink to that,” said Ardyn, sounding tired. He melted into the chair next to the couch the lovebirds occupied. The fire had settled into a calm glow, logs crackling in the hearth.

“Please, allow me -- since my desire for ambience nearly set us on fire.” Luna kneeled next to the glass table, took up the crystal decanter and began to pour wine into the matching glasses, the liquid dark and ever so slightly viscous. She handed the first glass to Noctis, then gave one to Ardyn, and kept the last for herself.  
  
Noct gazed thoughtfully into his glass. “Feels like someone should make a toast.” He looked at Ardyn.  
  
“Me, Your Majesty?” he placed a hand on his chest, “I’m flattered, truly, but this is your Kingdom and your wine -- surely the honor of a ceremonial toast should be yours.”  
  
Noctis waved dismissively, “You know I’m shit with words. You do it.”  
  
“Well, alright. If His Majesty insists.” Ardyn thought for a moment, then stood from his chair, his wine glass in hand.  
  
“Friends -- if I may call you friends -- we are gathered here today because we three, of all the souls on Eos, were born under the _unluckiest_ of stars. We were Chosen by the Gods for the highest of callings: To do that which they could not or would not do themselves, to save humanity by fixing the Astrals’ mistakes _for them_. And then each of us was _cast aside_ \-- forsaken! -- like so much _rubbish_ , once they no longer had use of us. Even you, Lady Lunafreya,” he motioned towards her with his glass, “I may have been the one holding the blade to your gut, but you _must_ admit they were _conspicuously_ absent in your time of greatest need.”  
  
Luna could feel Bahamut’s tension radiating off of him. She tried desperately not to react, so as not to give his presence away, but it was like trying not to respond to being slowly crushed by a giant, expanding balloon. Ardyn wasn’t entirely wrong, Luna knew this -- and she knew the Draconian needed to hear it from his mouth, no matter how upsetting it might be.  
  
“I digress. Yes, it may seem quite strange on the surface that the three of us should be here, former enemies sitting by the fire and sharing libations. But given our circumstances, in another life we may have been allies, don’t you agree? Make no mistake, dear friends -- the threads of our fates have always been intertwined, and they continue to be so now. I have no doubt of it. So here is to us: Those Who Were _Royally_ _Fucked_ by the Gods.” He raised his glass.  
  
The King and Queen were quiet, looking vaguely scandalized by Ardyn’s blasphemy, but they too raised their glasses. The trio drank then, and Ardyn collapsed back into his seat. A few quiet minutes passed between the three of them, the silence punctuated by the popping of the kindling in the hearth. Luna was leaned forward, sitting on the edge of the couch with her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, occasionally reaching out to the table to grab her wineglass. Noctis had spread out like a starfish, one of his arms behind Luna, the other holding his drink behind the back of the couch. Ardyn sat confidently in his chair, his legs crossed at the knee.  
  
The Chancellor was the first to break the silence. “Is this a _bad time_ to mention that I haven’t been able to get drunk in _two thousand years_ , and I am _uncertain_ how well I shall be able to hold my liquor?” He took another sip of his wine.  
  
“Guess we’ll see if it’s even possible to get wasted in the Beyond,” Noct said, swirling the drink in his glass.  
  
“We hadn’t exactly tested it out yet,” said Luna, taking a swig.  
  
“What -- don’t tell me you’re a _sloppy drunk_ , Chancellor,” Noct teased.  
  
“Oh! I can’t rightly recall -- as I said, it has been some time. I suppose we shall find out _together_.” He took another sip and shuddered slightly. “ _Noooct_ ,” said Ardyn in a sing-song voice, “Do you remember what I said earlier about _Gralean piss-water_?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Well, I didn’t think it possible, but this just might be _worse_ ,” he stuck out his tongue. “I must ask: What on _Eos_ did you _drink_ in your youth, that you believe this _swill_ passes for red wine? My goodness...it’s simply _dreadful_.”  
  
“Ardyn?”  
  
“Yes, Noctis?”  
  
“You’re a _fucking asshole_ , you do realize that, right?”  
  
“And yet here you are, drinking with me, when you could be literally _anywhere_ else,” he smiled wickedly at the King, who rolled his eyes and leaned back into the couch.  
  
“You know, Ardyn, if we _are_ able to get shit-faced, I hope _hangovers_ happen in the Beyond too, _just_ so you suffer a little,” Noct raised his glass to the Chancellor.  
  
Noct realized then that he _must_ have been starting to get a little tipsy, because he had the thought that Ardyn’s rumbling laughter was almost _musical_ , and kind of _nice_?  
  
“Oh, _Noct_. How _desperately_ do I _wish_ we had met under different circumstances.”  
  
Astrals Almighty. What had the King gotten himself into _this_ time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I need y'all to know that those of you who asked if I would be writing a shippy companion piece for this universe have RUINED me (in a good way), because I have thought of literally NOTHING ELSE other than how I could make it work since you guys brought it up, hahahaha. I'm thinking what will happen is I will continue writing the main chapters as-is (because I want the main fic to stay Gen), and create a series to post alternate, non-fic-canon shippy things, so folks can read them or not as they choose.
> 
> I've got a bit of an idea for an alternate scene for an offshoot of this chapter, but if anyone has any _burning desires_ they'd like to see happen in a ship fic in this universe, leave a comment and I'll see what I can do. ;)


	8. In Vino Veritas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun with Magic Wine! With Ardyn! What could possibly go wrong!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me for the delay on this chapter! We're short-staffed at my day job and it has been absolutely brutal -- like, I'm now doing 3x the amount of work I should be doing brutal -- so unfortunately it is just taking its toll on my writing energy. I'm still going to continue writing, it just might be a wee bit slower output than previously! Thank you all as always for your amazing comments and kudos and all of your wonderful support. It truly means the world to me. ♥
> 
> I wanted to give a super-special shout-out to [Forgive_but_Never_Forget](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Forgive_but_Never_Forget/pseuds/Forgive_but_Never_Forget), who wrote an amazing tribute fic for this AU! If you like Backseat Fishing, you should definitely give it a read -- it perfectly captures the spirit of what I've tried to build in this universe, and the dynamic I've tried to create with the characters. [You can find it here!](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9876881) ♥
> 
> Additionally, I posted the first optional-read, absolutely-not-fic-canon side-story the other day (which is partly why this chapter is late, oops haha). [In case you needed Ardyn giving Noct a drunken strip-tease in your life. Oh no.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10008905)

Between the fire in the hearth heating his skin and the wine in his belly warming him within, Noct felt like he had found an equilibrium. With Luna by his side, sipping from her own glass of the deep red drink, for a moment he could almost believe he was living a normal life, here in the Citadel.  
  
And then the Chancellor had to go and open his _damn mouth_ , shattering the illusion.  
  
“So, Your Majesty,” Ardyn set his glass down on the table. “You have kept your word in bringing me to meet your Queen, and I think I am sufficiently _plied_ with _alcohol_. I intend to keep my word as well.”  
  
“You’ll tell me about your past?”  
  
“I’ll tell you what I can -- but honestly, Noctis, most of it is so _dreadfully_ dull. Might I propose we play a bit of a game? Spice things up a bit, hmm?”  
  
“Ooh, a game, you say?” Luna smiled and clapped her hands. Her pale face was flushed red. “I think that sounds like a lovely idea. Don’t you agree, Noctis?”  
  
Noctis absolutely did _not_ agree, but…if it pleased Luna…  
  
He nodded. “Sure, a game. What do we do?”  
  
Ardyn grinned, picking his glass back up for another sip. “Well, first we will need a bottle. An empty one, if you please, Your Majesty.”  
  
Noctis narrowed his eyes at the Chancellor, “...I seriously hope you’re not suggesting we play Spin-the-Bottle, with my _wife_ in the room.”  
  
Luna pushed at his leg, “Honestly, Noctis, I am not so prudish as you believe me to be.”  
  
Ardyn coughed as he nearly choked on his wine. “While we _will_ be spinning this bottle, no touching of any sort will be involved...unless of course, someone _wants_ there to be,” he raised a curious eyebrow at Luna, whose already red face grew crimson.  
  
“Okay, okay! _Enough_ ,” Noct placed his glass on the table -- maybe a bit _harder_ than strictly necessary -- and stood up. He closed his eyes and focused on the thought of a bottle, then exhaled. He opened his eyes. An empty glass bottle had appeared next to his wineglass.  
  
“Anything _else_?” Noct asked testily.  
  
“I’m _so glad_ you asked!” Ardyn replied cheerfully. “We will also require, oh…three sliced lemons -- one for each of us.”  
  
“What the…No, I’m not doing that,” the King shook his head and sat back down. “Whatever it is you’re up to, Ardyn, I don’t like it.”  
  
Ardyn shrugged, “Suit yourself, Noct. _I_ was merely trying to hold up my end of our deal and have some fun while doing it. But if _you_ would _prefer_ to continue carrying on, I would likewise be just as happy to sit here in silence until our decanter is empty.” He mimed zipping up his lips, locking them, and tossing away the key.  
  
“Luna, _back me up_ here,” Noct turned to his Queen.  
  
She leaned against him, “No, you’re right, it’s very suspicious, him wanting lemons out of nowhere -- ”  
  
“ _Thank you._ ”  
  
“-- but Noctis, dear, do you remember the conversation we had before? About us already being dead?”  
  
He sighed. Not this again.  
  
Lunafreya sat up and looked her husband straight in the eyes. “Let’s live a little! They’re _just lemons_! Even if you created them so they were full of razorblades that tore apart our insides, we would regenerate. What on Eos could _possibly happen_ that would be _so terrible_?”  
  
Ardyn burst into raucous laughter, “Goodness, Noct! Who knew your wife had _bigger balls_ than you?”  
  
“ _Fine_ ,” Noct sighed and stood, finding himself _very unexpectedly_ outnumbered. He closed his eyes once again and a dish of sliced lemons appeared on the glass table. He sank back into the couch. “ _There._ What are the rules of the game?”  
  
Ardyn leaned forward in his seat and took hold of the glass bottle, carefully lowering it to its side and placing it horizontally on the table. He gave it a gentle spin. It came to a stop pointing vaguely at Noctis.  
  
“Quite simple, really. Whoever it lands on has to answer a question asked by the person who spun the bottle, _or_ they may choose to eat a whole slice of lemon in lieu of answering, if it’s something they would really rather not share in present company. Although of course, do keep in mind that choosing the lemon option could be _quite damning_ , depending on the question being asked.”  
  
“Gods, and _you_ were saying something to _me_ about bringing props for Truth or Dare?” Noct scoffed.  
  
Ardyn smirked mischievously. “Shall we get started? Ladies first, naturally.”  
  
Luna reached out and spun the bottle. The clear glass caught the light of the fire in the hearth, sending bright rays reflecting onto the walls. It slowed and came to a stop on Ardyn.  
  
“Ah, and so my time has come. What is it you would know of me, Oracle?”  
  
She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “When I was healing those afflicted with the Scourge, I could _feel_ some of the darkness beginning to twist them, even as I cleansed it from their bodies. It was...not a pleasant feeling. But Ardyn, your power was not like mine -- you _absorbed_ the Scourge rather than outright _purging_ it. I could not begin to fathom such a thing...What did it feel like to have all those daemons inside you?”  
  
“As to be expected from the Lady Lunafreya -- pulling no punches.” The Chancellor smiled sadly, “It felt like being alone in a crowded room, in which the other occupants can neither hear nor see you. I apologize. I…know not how better to describe it than that, but I hope it satisfies your curiosity.”  
  
Luna nodded, her eyes glistening slightly, and passed the bottle to Noctis. The King took it and placed it back on the table, giving it a whirl. It came to land on Ardyn again. The Chancellor frowned.  
  
“Don’t give me that look,” Noct chided, “You’re the one who came up with this game. Feel free to take a lemon slice if you want.”  
  
“Hmph. Ask away, Your Majesty.”  
  
“Back at Zegnautus, you told me you took the name Izunia from someone else. You said I’d never guess who it was. So…time to ‘fess up. Who was Izunia?”  
  
Ardyn sighed, _heavily_. He picked up the decanter of wine, poured more into his glass, drained it in one quaff, and then refilled it before leaning back in his seat.  
  
“I am not _nearly_ intoxicated enough for that question, Noct…but part of me wonders if you could ever create enough alcohol to even get me there. I will answer. Goodness knows I have hidden behind his name long enough.”  
  
The Chancellor looked around the room, and then at Luna, “You have been doing some reading since you’ve been here. Have you come across a copy of the _Cosmogony_ , perchance?”  
  
Luna thought for a moment, then whispered something to Pryna, who got up from her spot at the Oracle’s feet and trotted out of the room. “Just a minute.”  
  
It didn’t take long for Pryna to return, bearing a familiar blue book in her mouth. She brought it to Ardyn, who gave the Messenger a scratch behind her ears as payment for the favor.  
  
“I haven’t held one of these in some time. Always felt like they might spontaneously combust in my heretic hands,” Ardyn chuckled. “Anyhow, take a look at the fellow on the cover. Does he look familiar?”  
  
He handed the book over to Noct and Luna, who examined the image. Bahamut, the Draconian, in his Messenger avatar, gifting the Crystal to the First Chosen King of Lucis. And in the background, the First Oracle, bearing Bahamut’s Trident and an armful of sylleblossoms.  
  
Luna squinted a bit, “Now that you mention it…”  
  
“...Ardyn, is that _you_?” Noct asked.  
  
The Chancellor snorted lightly, “It should have been me. And it _was_ me, for a time. But no, it is not me on that cover -- or anywhere else in that book -- although the resemblance is striking for a reason. Izunia Lucis Caelum, he of flowing raven hair and sapphire eyes, progenitor of your line, was my twin. Fraternal, clearly -- I took after our mother and he, our father.”  
  
“ _Fuck_.”  
  
Noctis and Ardyn turned to look at Lunafreya, who clapped her hands over her mouth.  
  
“S-sorry…I just...This wine is really quite potent...”  
  
Noct took the wineglass from her hand, put it on the table, and turned back to Ardyn. “What happened between you, Ardyn? Was he the ‘jealous king’ you talked about before?”  
  
Ardyn held up a hand, “Oh, Noct, surely one question per turn is enough! I do believe it’s my turn to take a spin,” he grabbed for the bottle and spun it clockwise.  
  
The bottle slowly came to a complete stop with its neck pointed in Luna’s general direction, but then, somehow, it turned ever so slightly counter-clockwise so that it pointed back towards Noctis. It was as though someone had pulled the neck with a string. Noctis and Luna hadn’t seemed to notice, but Ardyn had seen it clearly, and he knew _exactly_ what it meant. Several pieces clicked into place. The Chancellor narrowed his eyes, leaned forward, and chose his next words _very_ carefully.  
  
“It would _appear_ my question is for His Majesty the King,” he cleared his throat dramatically. “Your Majesty, are you _aware_ that there is at least _one Astral_ in the room at present?”  
  
Noct looked confused, “I... _what_? Why would there be an Astral here? Luna?” He turned to his Queen.  
  
Luna’s face was calm, but her hands were clenched into fists, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I am the Oracle no more -- I have no sway over what the Gods do.”  
  
“Oh, Lady Lunafreya, you are clever indeed,” Ardyn wagged a finger at her. “But I know better. I see Her Icy Hand protecting you from me. From what I might _ask_ you. And there was only _one thing_ I had thought about inquiring of you, my Lady, so let’s just get it out in the open, shall we? Let her strike me down if she likes -- it _certainly_ wouldn’t be the first time I’ve perished at her hand,” the Chancellor looked almost wistful for a moment before his expression became deadly serious again.  
  
“Lady Lunafreya, _for what purpose did you bring me here_ , to the Beyond?”  
  
Luna simply stared at him for a few moments, then silently took a large slice of lemon from the dish on the table and inserted the whole thing into her mouth. She frowned, though it was unclear whether it was from displeasure at Ardyn, or the lemon, or both. The Oracle Queen rose from her seat on the leather couch and strode from the hearthroom, Pryna padding after her.  
  
Noctis was frozen in place, looking positively stricken.  
  
“Go after her, Noctis. Whatever you might be thinking, it’s worth hearing her side. And don’t worry about me -- I am _certain_ the Gods are keeping me company,” said Ardyn, and Noct could hear in his voice how _tired_ he was.  
  
The King left the hearthroom with Umbra, and hoped beyond hope that his Queen was still somewhere in the Citadel.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis goes looking for Luna after her abrupt exit from the hearthroom...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all, as always, for your wonderful comments and all of your love on this fic! I'm always telling my friends that I have the best readers, because it's trueeee. ♥

Noctis frantically raced through the halls of the Citadel, calling for Lunafreya. Umbra trotted along beside him, occasionally speeding up to keep pace with his master. The King ducked his head into several rooms as they passed by, hoping he might catch a glimpse of his wife’s blonde hair or ivory dress, but saw neither. He checked her usual spots -- the Courtyard and Library -- but she was not to be found in either location. Noct even looked in their bedroom, the Royal Chamber, on the off chance that maybe she had stormed out and gone to lie down (even though that didn’t seem like something she would do). He looked in, lagoon-blue eyes scanning the Chamber, but as he suspected, no Luna.  
  
He sat down on the bed, the black silk sheets wrinkling beneath him, and sighed. Noct wasn’t the only one capable of traveling in the Beyond. If Luna had left the Citadel, who knew where she might be?  
  
Umbra sat on his haunches in front of Noct. He pawed at his master’s leg, whining.  
  
“Oh,” said Noct, realization dawning, “ _You_ would know, wouldn’t you, Umbra.”  
  
Noctis could swear Umbra was smiling -- his eyes half-closed, tongue lolling. The dog got up and padded over to the doorway, then looked back at Noctis and woofed, beckoning him. Noct rose from the bed and followed his canine friend to the doorway.  
  
“Don’t go bringing me anywhere weird now, okay boy?” said the King, giving the pup a vigorous chin scratch. Umbra wagged his tail happily in response.  
  
Nothing in the room looked amiss to the naked eye, yet both man and dog disappeared into thin air as they passed through the threshold of the door.  
  
Traveling with Umbra had always been a bit disorienting, even when he’d been alive, but this time he nearly fell over when they came out on the other side. It was the first time he had traveled under the dog’s power in the Beyond -- maybe his abilities were strengthened in this plane, given his mystical status? Noct really had no idea. All he knew was that his head was spinning. He leaned over and took a moment to gather his equilibrium.  
  
Once he felt a bit more centered, Noctis raised his head slowly, and found himself in a familiar place. The sky above was a brilliant orange, the sunset illuminating layers of thin, wispy clouds. All around Noct’s feet were blue flowers. The blooms brushed against his ankles as they swayed to and fro in the gentle breeze.  
  
Of course. Princess Lunafreya’s sylleblossom field -- the one she had tended while she lived, even during her years of captivity under the Empire’s thumb. She’d run all the way to _Tenebrae_. Well, the Afterlife version, at least. As he looked around at the idyllic scenery, Noct felt a bit stupid for not guessing she would come here from the start.  
  
Umbra had taken off without him while he was struggling to shake his vertigo, but Noct could see him in the distance, waiting for his master to catch up. Noctis put one boot in front of the other and tried his best not to crush the blossoms as he made his way over.  
  
He pat Umbra’s head as he came up a short hill behind the dog, who was sitting on the edge of a clearing. The flowers seemed not to grow beyond that point -- only grass, in a wide, sweeping circle, and in the center of the circle lay a long, flat rock, like an ancient sacrificial altar.  
  
Lunafreya sat curled up on the end of the rock, her knees pulled tight against her forehead. Noctis resisted the urge to immediately sprint to her side and hold her. If Ardyn was right -- if Luna had been the one to bring him to the Beyond…  
  
He approached the stone altar slowly.  
  
“Luna...”  
  
She looked up, startled, and Noct saw the lines of tears trailing down her cheeks. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. Despite it all, he couldn’t help but think how beautiful she was, in this rare, vulnerable moment.  
  
“...Noctis, dear,” she sniffled, wiping her face with the back of her hand, “I- I didn’t expect you would find me so quickly…”  
  
“I had some help,” he motioned to Umbra. “Can I sit with you?”  
  
She nodded, releasing her legs down to a more comfortable position as Noct sat down beside her. They sat in silence for a few moments before Luna spoke up.  
  
“It feels...odd, sitting here with you now, amongst the sylleblossoms. We were just children, those long ago days we spent here before. Innocent of so much that was to come. And now here we are -- in the Afterlife, together for eternity,” she swung her legs a bit. “Oh Noctis, I am sorry. I was only trying to help…”  
  
“Help what, Luna? I don’t understand,” Noct looked worriedly at his Queen, who could not meet his gaze.  
  
“Not what, Noctis, but _whom_ ,” said Luna. “I wanted to help _you_.”  
  
The King furrowed his brow. “What…? What kind of help do I need?”  
  
Luna turned to him then, her expression full of sorrow. She cupped his face with her hand, grazing her thumb over his cheekbone. “Oh, my darling Noctis...I know we did not spend much time together in Life, but do you think I cannot tell when you are _lonely_ , my love?”  
  
He opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. The fact of the matter was: She wasn’t wrong. At first, when he’d died and been reunited with Luna, it had felt like he had finally gotten what he’d always wanted. His world was at peace, he had his Queen. What more was there to want? But over time, Luna’s company became _smothering_ , in a way, since she was the only other being around besides Pryna and Umbra...  
  
Noctis _had_ been lonely -- _devastatingly_ so -- without his Crownsguard by his side.  
  
“You had become so withdrawn, Noct...I didn’t know what to do. I was _worried_ for you. So I asked Gentiana if she and Bahamut could bring you a companion…”  
  
“And of everyone in the _whole of Eos_ , you chose _Ardyn_?” Noct sputtered.  
  
“Well, he wasn’t my _first_ choice,” Luna replied defensively, “but...Gladiolus, Prompto, Ignis, and the others are still alive. They cannot be brought here until their time has come.”  
  
“What about my dad?”  
  
“King Regis was absorbed into the Lucii, which were destroyed. Even if the Ring were reformed, his individual soul is unable to be separated from the other 112 Kings of Light,” the Oracle explained.  
  
Noctis leaned over and put his head in his hands. He ran his fingers through his long hair, trying to gather his thoughts. He took a deep breath and huffed it out.  
  
“So why _him_ then? After everything we did to end it?”  
  
Lunafreya stared off into the distance, over the field of azure blossoms. “He deserved another chance, Noctis. He deserved a chance to be among people who had the capacity to care about his well-being. Do you not agree? Is that not why you brought him to the Citadel to meet me?”  
  
The King shifted his weight on the stone slightly. It wasn’t like he felt the raw, visceral _hate_ for the Chancellor anymore, not since his time percolating in the Crystal, but...Noct thought about Ardyn nervously fidgeting with his hat on the steps of the Citadel. He thought about how he had told Ardyn to _walk tall_...had even called Ardyn by his _proper name_ , acknowledging him as a Lucis Caelum...  
  
Alright, so maybe he did care. But only a _little_.  
  
He sighed again. “I can see Gentiana going along with this, but...how did you _ever_ get Bahamut to agree?”  
  
She smirked a little, the look out of place on her otherwise sad face. “I... _may_ have verbally browbeaten the Draconian into remembering that this was all his fault in the first place, and that really, after everything he put all of us through, he was in our debt. Gentiana helped me, too. She said something to him about him being ‘ _no better than the Infernian_ ’ or somesuch along those lines. It was quite persuasive.”  
  
Noct laughed internally at the mental image of his wife _yelling_ at the Astrals, telling them they _owed her a favor_. And she had done it _for him_. He placed his hand over hers on the stone altar and gave it an affectionate rub.  
  
“Let's go home,” said the King.  
  
“You're...not upset?” his Queen replied, uncertain.  
  
Noctis sighed. “Luna, I wish you would have come to talk to me, if you were worried about me,” he took her hand in his, “But...I understand I’m not the easiest to talk to, sometimes.”  
  
She grinned, “That’s a bit of an understatement, my love.”  
  
He held up his hand to signal that he wasn’t quite finished, and to pause the teasing, “What I’m learning is...the years we spent speaking to each other through Umbra and the book -- well, _writing_ with someone and actually _communicating_ with them _in person_ are really different things. So I get it, Luna. We’re still learning each other. How each of us ticks.”  
  
Noct stood from the stone altar, pulling lightly on Luna’s arm to prompt her to stand as well. She rose, her dress rippling around her legs in the breeze. He tipped up her chin to look his Queen in the eyes.  
  
“Promise me next time you’re concerned about me, you’ll just...ask me? Instead of summoning more of my enemies back from the dead to keep me company?”  
  
She nodded, as tears began to well in her eyes and spill down her cheeks. Noctis held her face in his hands and gently brushed the tears away. He smiled down at her, his blue eyes soft with adoration.  
  
“You’re amazing, you know that? Ardyn’s gonna _shit himself_ when he hears how you stood up to Bahamut…”  
  
Lunafreya’s laughter was the sound of windchimes in a light rain, and Noctis wished to the Gods that he could have heard that laugh ten thousand times more while he’d been alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are looking forward to another OPTIONAL-TO-READ SHIPPY SIDE FIC, because the next one is comin' at ya...as soon as I write it, haha. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardyn has a heart-to-heart with some old acquaintances...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooof, I am sorry for the delay! It's the busy season at work and ~~life is hell~~ ~~I'm dying~~ things are wild. In a bad way. :(
> 
> But the good news is that I'm still alive, and still writing, even if it's taking me a little longer to do it -- so here is another chapter for you lovelies. ♥ I'm...sorry in advance for the pain. I promise we'll get back to Flufftown eventually, ahahaha.
> 
> Thank you all as always for reading, and for your kudos and comments! You guys are the greatest. :)

Ardyn poured himself another cupful of wine from the magic decanter -- was he just inebriated, or did the decanter seem to be _refilling itself_? -- and leaned back into his leather seat with a heavy sigh.  
  
“You may as well reveal yourselves,” he said to the thin air before him, “The coeurl’s out of the sack now, old friends. Though honestly, was it ever really _in_ the sack? Did you really expect I wouldn’t figure it out eventually? I have sensed your hands in this from the start.”  
  
He shut his eyes, grimacing as he took a long draft of Noct’s firewater. When he opened them again, Gentiana sat on the sofa to his left, where Lunafreya had been seated. Bahamut, still in his Messenger form, towered before him to his right, beside the small table.  
  
“We had hoped it might have taken you a bit longer to put all the pieces together,” said Gentiana, her hands folded neatly in her lap.  
  
Ardyn scoffed, “Yes, well, please _excuse me_ for being observant. And you may wish to be a bit more careful next time about interfering with our games, hmm? Now will you tell me what this is about, or will you be stringing me along for some undetermined length of time more before filling me in?”  
  
“We are not at liberty to say,” Bahamut frowned at the Chancellor. “Ask the Oracle. This was her idea.”  
  
“Lunafreya’s idea? Very interesting.” He grasped his glass by the rim, rose from his seat, and began to pace about the room with the glass in his hand.  
  
“It just seems...so very _unlike_ you, to get involved in human affairs. Well, maybe not so much _you_ , Glacian,” he motioned in Gentiana’s direction, “You have been known to stick your cold nose in mortal business on occasion, after all. But _you,_ Draconian? Bending to the whims of some mortal? I don’t care if she _was_ the last Oracle. Since when has that mattered to you? Are you not the All-Father of Astrals?”  
  
Bahamut’s frown deepened, “I did not ‘bend to her whims,’ as you put it. I chose to assist her.”  
  
Ardyn waved dismissively, “Call it what you like.” Having meandered all the way to the other end of the room and reached a wall, he placed his glass on a nearby table and leaned against it with his hands, facing away from the deities.  
  
“As usual, Son of Lucis, you are ungrateful for the gifts you have been given,” the Draconian crossed his arms.  
  
The Chancellor began to laugh ruefully. He pushed off from the table and slowly turned around to face Bahamut, his expression turning to rage.  
  
“ _Ungrateful_?” Ardyn spit the word like poison. “Perhaps I am -- but could you truly blame me, if I were? If you will recall, _you_ chose _me_ to heal the Afflicted. I never _wanted_ that destiny, Draconian. _You_ brought it to my doorstep, and I accepted because it was my _duty_ as Crown Prince of Lucis to do right by my people. Besides that, to be _quite_ frank, how is one supposed to say _‘no’_ to the _King of Astrals_?” He balled his hands into fists.  
  
“And as if being compelled to take on the Healer’s Mantle out of royal obligation weren’t _enough_ ,” he continued, moving closer to the center of the room as he spoke, “when it was clear that your ‘ _gift_ ’ was in fact a _curse_ upon me, and that there was no reversing the _blight_ on my soul -- when Izunia finally caught up with me in the woods of Duscae and _cast me out_ for good -- _you_ conspired with him to have me imprisoned me on Angelgard. _You_ , who had _chosen_ me, who had _given_ me your _blessing_ , left me to _rot for eternity_. Don’t think that I didn’t notice they were _your swords_ surrounding the cell, sealing me in!”  
  
Ardyn took a few breaths and ran his hand through his hair, trying and mostly failing to calm himself, “I played your games for over _two thousand years_ \-- even fulfilled the Prophecy and rid the world of Ifrit’s Scourge, just as you wished. Two millennia may feel like the blink of an eye to you Astrals, but we humans are not meant to live so long. So _forgive me_ if I seem _ungrateful_ , Draconian, but after everything you put me through, all I wanted was to _rest_.”  
  
“I know,” said Bahamut, his face a steel mask.  
  
“You ‘ _know_ ,’” Ardyn seemed to deflate a bit, his shoulders sinking towards his feet, “That’s it? I pour my heart out to you after all this time, and _that_ is the response I receive?” the Chancellor huffed sharply, shaking his head. “Simply unbelievable.”  
  
Suddenly, Gentiana stood before him. He jumped slightly in surprise. A chill ran up his spine like a shock of electricity, and he shuddered with the cold as she took his hands in hers. He’d never get used to that, no matter how many times he felt it.  
  
“Ardyn, please. Don’t you understand? The Oracle -- She asked that we give you a second chance, and we agreed. We agreed because we know...we know that all did not play out fairly for you, in the wake of the Outbreak,” she said, squeezing his hands firmly. “We know that we asked too much of you.”  
  
“That, my dear, is _certainly_ a _massive_ understatement. But you spoke of a second chance. A second chance at _what_ , praytell?” he asked.  
  
Gentiana shrugged slightly, a strange gesture on her ethereal frame, “Something like normalcy.”  
  
The Chancellor sneered at that, “Normalcy? Do you really believe I deserve that?”  
  
“What we deserve and what we receive do not always align. Do you not agree?” said the Glacian, releasing his hands, and Ardyn found that, for once, he could not argue. “Do with it what you will, but know that Lunafreya believes that you are worthy of this opportunity. If you feel that you are not, then may I recommend you do your best to act in a manner befitting one who is. Perhaps then, with some effort, someday you too may feel you have earned your place here.”  
  
He held her gaze silently for a few moments -- though of course, her eyes were closed. After a time, he sighed.  
  
“The long road to redemption, is it? A fine recommendation, my lady. You always were the intelligent one of the bunch,” said Ardyn, bowing to Gentiana with a flourish. Just on the edge of his field of vision, Ardyn was pleased to see Bahamut rolling his eyes. _Good_ \-- let him be irritated. He may have helped bring Ardyn back from Oblivion, but that didn’t mean Ardyn had to make amends all at once. It seemed the Draconian felt similarly.  
  
At least they were finally on the same page. It was a start.  
  
“Now, where do you suppose I ought to start my benevolent works?” the Chancellor inquired.  
  
“Why not begin by welcoming the Lord and Lady of the Citadel back from their journey?” Gentiana smiled kindly and motioned towards the entrance to the hearthroom.  
  
Ardyn followed Gentiana’s gesture, and found Noctis and Luna standing at the entryway with their respective Messenger dogs. Their tired faces gave them the air of weary travelers come home from a long night’s drive, which was not at all far from the truth.  
  
“Ah, Your Majesties. Welcome home,” Ardyn bowed his head briefly to the monarchs, “How long have you been standing there? I was just speaking with -- er...”  
  
When he looked back, both Bahamut and Gentiana had vanished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY ARDYN FEELS. *WEEPS*
> 
> The bit about him being imprisoned in the cell on Angelgard is headcanon based on the [out of bounds video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekfxW3eLtMA) where you can see the outside of the cell where Noct wakes up after coming out of the Crystal (skip ahead to :43 if you don't want to sit through nearly an hour of swimming chocobo fun times, haha). There are all these swords planted in the ground around it, and they look suspiciously like Bahamut's. HMMM.
> 
> Stay tuned for more! I've got a bunch of stuff in the works -- just have to find the time to finish them all. ♥


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardyn finally gets some answers from Lunafreya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand we're back! :) Thank you all for the comments/kudos/love on this humble fic. I really love interacting with you all and seeing what you have to say about it. Hope you guys enjoy this installment! ♥

The Royal Couple looked a tad more windswept than they had been when they’d left. And was that a _leaf_ stuck in Noct’s hair? Ardyn wondered briefly where the couple had been, and what on Eos they had gotten up to while they’d been there.  
  
“Well, I had been speaking with your Astral Entourage before you arrived, my lady. But it appears they have left the premises, at least for the present time,” Ardyn shrugged nonchalantly. “Gods will be gods.”  
  
“Indeed they will,” said Luna, tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear. “I do apologize for running off the way I did. I...I needed some time to think, so I went to the one place that always brought me peace in Life.”  
  
“I see. Tenebrae, I suppose?” Ardyn ventured. Luna gave him a small nod in reply.  
  
Noctis threw his hands up, “Seriously? How did you guess that right off the bat, but I didn’t?”  
  
“Well, Noctis -- I suppose I just know your own wife better than you do,” Ardyn shrugged, smirking at the King. Noct glared daggers back at him.  
  
“Come to think of it, Noctis, do _you_ have a ‘happy place’?” Luna asked, taking a seat on one of the couches. Ardyn followed suit, sitting on the couch across from her.  
  
Noctis pondered for a moment before responding, “I...don’t really know? I mean, I’ve _felt_ happy in a lot of places...”  
  
“You don’t say? So hard to tell when you scowl all the time,” Ardyn teased, grinning. “But being outdoors at a nice fishing spot brings you peace, does it not?”  
  
“Yeah, of course it does. But it’s not just the fishing itself, or the place. It’s being with friends and messing around and having a good time together, you know?”  
  
“I do indeed.” The Chancellor stared off into space momentarily, looking nostalgic. He leaned his elbows against his knees, “But do you see how that perspective differs from your Queen’s? And how that may have been what made it more difficult for you to guess where she was? For her, tranquility is a specific place, while for you, tranquility is...a bit more _abstract_.”  
  
“I...huh. Wow. I hadn’t even thought about it before, but you’re right,” said Noct, scratching his head.  
  
“My goodness, Ardyn,” Luna chimed in, “You may have already done your time as a Healer, but I think you may have missed your calling as a Counselor.”  
  
Ardyn chuckled softly, “Ah. You know as well as I do that Healers are very often called upon to be Counselors, Lunafreya. Whether we like it or not.”  
  
The Oracle smiled knowingly.  
  
“Earlier, you mentioned that this realm is a mirror of the Living World, yes?” the Chancellor said, looking at Noct, “You have been to Tenebrae, clearly. Where else beyond Insomnia have you been?”  
  
Noct and Luna traded glances.  
  
“We’ve gone to Lestallum,” Luna explained, “but Altissia…” She looked at her husband, who sighed deeply.  
  
“I don’t really like going there,” Noct turned his gaze towards his boots, “Too many bad memories.”  
  
Ardyn did not look away, “Bad memories. Because of me.”  
  
Noct looked back up at his former enemy, “Well, if you’re just gonna put it out there...yeah, because of you.”  
  
“I suppose that’s fair,” said the Chancellor. He cocked his head to get a better view of Noct, who seemed to be drooping steadily, like a wilting flower. “Are you _quite alright_ , Noctis?”  
  
The King suddenly snapped back to attention, “I’m good. I’m just...a little tired, is all. Been kind of _eventful_ lately, you know?”  
  
“Noctis, darling, why don’t you go get some rest? I’ll stay here with Ardyn,” Lunafreya smiled warmly at him.  
  
“Alright, but...don’t go getting up to anything you’d have to shove a slice of lemon in your mouth to dodge telling me about later, okay?” Noct raised an eyebrow at his companions.  
  
Ardyn faked a gasp, “ _Noctis_! I wouldn’t _dream_ of it.” He got up from his seat on the couch and walked over to the King, putting an arm around His Majesty’s shoulder. “Now go and enjoy your slumber. Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the chigoes bite. _Are_ there even chigoes in the Beyond? I certainly do hope not...damned itchy little things.” He smiled.  
  
Even though it occurred to Noct that Ardyn’s smirk was particularly suspicious, even for _Ardyn_ , and that he must have been up to something, he was just _too tired_ to do anything about it. Besides, now that he knew the Astrals were shielding Luna, and had been this entire time, he felt a bit better about leaving her with alone with the Chancellor. Bahamut was a bit iffy when it came to humans, that was for sure -- but Gentiana would _never_ let anything happen to Luna. Giving his Queen a brief kiss on the forehead, Noctis turned and exited the hearthroom, leaving Luna and Ardyn to themselves.  
  
Ardyn returned to his spot on the couch opposite the Oracle and leaned back, settling in. They stared at one another in silence for a time. It was well past the point of being painfully awkward, for Luna, at least -- Ardyn just kept smiling, unphased, which was mildly unsettling -- when he finally spoke up.  
  
“It has been some years since you and I last had something resembling a heart-to-heart, hasn’t it. Well, my lady, the catoblepas in the room grows larger by the moment. Do you wish to address it, or should I?”  
  
Luna sat up straight, steeling herself, “Go ahead, Chancellor. I’ll not run off to Tenebrae this time.”  
  
He laced his fingers together and placed his hands in his lap, “Oh! No need to look so _wary_ , my dear. This isn’t some _imperial interrogation_. Though if you _did_ foresee me _needing_ to use some of the interrogation techniques I picked up while I was in Niflheim, I _may_ need to go wake His Majesty to ask him to create a pair of handcuffs, and -- well, I dare say he _might_ get a bit suspicious about what we’re up to, if I were to go and do a thing like that...”  
  
Luna laughed a little, despite herself, “No, no. That won’t be necessary. What would you like to know?”  
  
“I’m sure you know, without my having to ask it aloud. The Astrals' involvement gave me some idea as to the _how_ of it, but _why_ am I _here_ , Lunafreya? What was so important that you chose to take the risk of reconstituting my immortal soul?”  
  
She fiddled with the pendant of her necklace and sighed faintly, “You are _both_ important. You _and_ Noctis. Oh Ardyn, I don’t know how much time has passed in the Living World since you and Noct died, but it has been some time here. At first, Noctis was content. It was enough for him, to have reclaimed his throne, to have me here with him. He was smiling and laughing -- we even danced in the Citadel ballroom from time to time, if you can believe that.”  
  
“I can hardly imagine Noctis tying his own shoes, much less ballroom dancing,” Ardyn mused, “But please, continue.”  
  
“As the days wore on, he began to grow more distant from me. He spent more time away from the Citadel, taking Umbra and his fishing gear and leaving for days at a time -- he would lose track of time and not realize how long he had been gone. I would worry sick over him, but because of the connection between Pryna and Umbra, I at least knew that he was still _somewhere_ in the Beyond.”  
  
She paused for a few beats, as though considering how best to go on with her tale.  
  
“I wanted to be a good wife, and to give him as much space as he needed. I thought that maybe eventually he would just...I don’t know, _tell me_ if something was wrong. But he never did. I decided to take matters into my own hands instead. Looking back, I...I probably should have just _asked_ him what was wrong.”  
  
“But you did not?”  
  
“No. I was...Oh gods, I’m a bit ashamed to say this now, but I was too scared to ask him. One night, he gathered up his things to go fishing. I waited for him to leave, gave him a few minutes’ head start, then had Pryna track Umbra’s location. She brought me to where Noctis was. It turned out to be the lighthouse at Cape Caem. I hid behind a stack of crates for a time, just watching him fish off the cliff.”  
  
“And what did you discover?”  
  
“He was...talking to himself. Well, not so much to _himself_ , but to his _friends_ \-- except his friends, clearly, _weren’t there_. He held up his entire half of a conversation about some game with Prompto. And when he would pull in a fish, he would tell Gladiolus to stop making _lewd comments_ about his catches.”  
  
Ardyn narrowed his eyes, “Plenty of people talk to themselves, or to beings that others cannot see, Lunafreya. You among them. What if he was, perchance, somehow communicating with the other side?”  
  
“For a moment I considered that possibility...but then he suddenly stopped conversing, put down his rod, and began to weep. Then the weeping turned to sobbing. It _broke my heart_ , Ardyn. It was all I could do not to reveal myself then and there.”  
  
“Hm. While I am impressed with your reconnaissance,” said the Chancellor, “I still fail to see how precisely this relates to me.”  
  
“Because I need your help,” Luna replied, urgency in her voice, “I want to support him, but Noctis yet keeps me at arm’s length. I’ve tried to tag along fishing before, but he always stops me. I don’t know if he thinks I’ll just get in the way, or what the issue might be. I honestly don’t care if he takes me on his outings, really -- what I care about is that he’s _happy_. He _needs_ a _friend_ , someone to carouse with him and for him to confide in, besides me. I believe you can be that for him.”  
  
“And why _should_ I, praytell?”  
  
“Because you owe him a great debt, Ardyn Izunia.”  
  
“Do I _really_ , Oracle? Because what I _wanted_ was to rest for eternity, and yet _here I am_ , called back from my very lovely nonexistence, because -- _do tell me_ if I have understood this correctly -- _your husband is_ _sad_.”  
  
“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds --”  
  
“Selfish? _Indeed_.”  
  
“Says the man who destroyed the world out of spite!”  
  
“Now, now. You _knew_ the Prophecy. It was the only way to rid Eos of the Starscourge for good.”  
  
“Ardyn, there is _fulfilling the Prophecy_ , and then there is _mass, unrepentant genocide_ …”  
  
“Certainly, there were casualties along the way, and maybe _some of them_ were motivated by malice, but…” Ardyn shrugged his shoulders, “What revolution doesn’t have collateral damage?”  
  
Luna sighed heavily. This was not an argument she would be winning. “Well, if you won’t do it because it’s the _right thing to do_...Will you _at least_ do it because Noctis is a delight to tease, and you know that you will find amusement in annoying him for eternity?”  
  
Ardyn leaned forward, “Oh, _Lunafreya_. _Now_ you are speaking my tongue,” he smiled like the cat who ate the canary, “I believe I might have an idea for something that may help our dear Noct -- but I don’t think he’s going to like it very much…”  
  
She leaned in towards him, “Tell me what I can do to assist, and I will do it.”  
  
Luna swore the Chancellor’s grin was getting more mischievous by the second.  
  
“First, I will require access to the Royal Bedchamber.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't had the joy of playing FFXI/FFXIV and encountering chigoes: <http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Chigoe> \-- Although at this moment in time they don't seem to exist in FFXV canon, we're just gonna pretend. :3


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis has the strangest dream... (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter this time, but I decided to cut it off where I did and update it now instead of making you all wait for a longer chapter. Because you guys are the best and I love you! :D

Noctis was dreaming of spring. It was his favorite season in Insomnia -- the air began to warm, but it wasn’t uncomfortably warm, like summer, and what few trees remained in the metropolis began to bloom. When he was a kid in the Citadel, he would nap under the great cherry tree in the center of the Courtyard, taking the petals that fell from the delicate pink blossoms and rubbing them gently against between his fingers. He liked how smooth they felt against his skin.  
  
In his dream, he was an adult, laying beneath the same tree in the Courtyard. The blossoms softly drifted down from the branches. A petal landed in his hair. He plucked it out and pinched it between his thumb and forefinger.  
  
“Funny, isn’t it?” said a voice, deep and sultry. Noctis sat up sharply in surprise.  
  
“These trees symbolize impermanence, and the fleeting, transient nature of life itself. It seems quite fitting that you, whose life was cut so short at such a young age, should dream of them.”  
  
Ardyn had appeared before him. The Chancellor held his hat low, covering his eyes, but his smirk was still visible below the brim.  
  
“Ardyn? I’m still dreaming, right? Are you...actually here?” Noctis asked, shaking his head as though trying to making everything fall into place.  
  
“Oh, I am _quite_ real, Noct. I may be dead, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve,” he laughed.  
  
Ardyn’s chuckle made the hair on the back of Noct’s neck stood on end. He _knew_ the Chancellor had been up to something when he’d left the hearthroom!  
  
“Why are you in my dream? Where’s Luna?”  
  
“Fear not, Your Majesty -- your Queen is hale and hearty. She watches over our bodies as we speak. Goodness knows what she might do with them though, should she get bored -- I _do_ hope I don’t wake up to find something _obscene_ drawn on my face…” Ardyn put a hand to his cheek and pouted.  
  
“As to the _why_ , I’ve come to take you on a bit of a quest. I suppose we could have done this in the Beyond itself, but, well...It will be more _fun_ this way.”  
  
The Chancellor held out his hand, and with a crystalline sound, his trademark red sword appeared in the air. He took it by the hilt, gave it a twirl to show Noctis, then opened his hand to let it disappear. He gave a satisfied smile to the King.  
  
Noct gaped, “The Armiger…”  
  
“Indeed. Have you not felt a bit _empty_ without its power coursing through you? I know I certainly have. Fortunately, it is all accessible here in your dreams. And I have a feeling we may need it, where we are going.”  
  
Tentatively, Noct put out a hand and thought of his father’s sword -- the one that had ended both his and Ardyn’s lives, in the end. Suddenly, he felt the weight of its winged hilt in his hand. He held it up, turned it over and around, marvelling at having the weapon back again.  
  
“I’m glad to see you approve, Your Majesty,” said Ardyn, grinning at Noct like a parent watching a child play with a new toy.  
  
“Yeah...I kinda didn’t realize how weird it felt to not have them anymore until just now,” said the King as he dematerialized the sword. “So, where to?”  
  
Ardyn took a few steps towards Noctis so that they were standing face-to-face. The Chancellor took Noct by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes.  
  
“Before we go, I want you to remember that Lunafreya has placed her trust in me. Of course, you may back out and wake up at any time -- this is _your dream_ , after all -- but I do hope that you too will have some faith in me. I shan’t abandon you.”  
  
Noctis wasn’t really sure how to respond, so he simply nodded.  
  
“Wonderful!” Ardyn clapped the King’s shoulders. “Let us be off, then.”  
  
“Okay, but like I asked, off to _where_?” Noctis whined.  
  
The Chancellor grabbed both of his hands, “Why --”  
  
The scenery shifted around them. The Citadel Courtyard dissolved like sandcastles at the beach being washed away by the incoming tide. In its place, a new backdrop appeared. Gray stone tiles rose beneath their feet, and tall, colorful buildings grew behind them. The area seemed to have seen better days, though -- the stone tiles were cracked, and the elaborate buildings were crumbling, burned-out husks. But the most notable feature of the locale was the water, which stretched as far as the eye could see. Waves lapped against the remains of a nearby dock.  
  
“-- to _Altissia_ , of course.”  
  
As the broken city coalesced before him, Noctis felt his heart rocket into his throat and then drop directly into his stomach. His head spun and his hands and feet went cold. For a half-second he was absolutely certain he was going to vomit.  
  
“Shit. Shit, shit, shit, _shit_!” he swore, falling to his knees. “Fuck! Why _here_ , of all places? _Why_ did you bring me _here_?”  
  
Ardyn squatted down beside the King and held out his hand, but Noct was unresponsive, bent over and near to hyperventilating.  
  
“It’s only a dream,” Noctis muttered under his breath, whispering it over and over to himself.  
  
Ardyn watched Noct closely for a few moments, then shrugged and stood. Best to let his initial panic run its course. The King continued repeating his mantra. Some minutes later, Ardyn could see Noct’s breathing had slowed.  
  
“Shall I continue?” Ardyn asked. Noctis nodded weakly. “Splendid! I brought you here to Altissia precisely _because_ you are having this sort of reaction,” said the Chancellor, not entirely unkindly. “Well, that isn’t _wholly_ accurate. _I_ could give a cactuar’s arse how you feel about this place, in truth, but your wife is quite worried for you. She simply wants for you to _be okay_ , and as you may have noticed, she is a _very_ persuasive woman when she wants something. So we are here to set things right, once and for all.”  
  
“Okay,” Noct sniffled and stood, brushing himself off. He was still shaking slightly. “How do we do that? Set things right, I mean.”  
  
“Hmm. I _could_ tell you straightaway, but where’s the fun in that? Besides, you’ve been without your royal abilities too long to just _dive right in_. Let’s have a little warm-up, shall we?”  
  
Noctis crossed his arms, “What kind of warm-up?”  
  
He’d barely gotten the last word out of his mouth before Ardyn disappeared before his eyes and was replaced by a magenta warp decoy of the Chancellor, complete with a shit-eating grin. Noct heard a whistle from above and behind him, and turned to find Ardyn on the roof of a nearby building.  
  
“Catch me if you can, Your Majesty!” Ardyn shouted down, then warped off to the next roof.  
  
Noct shook his head. “This fucker…”  
  
He felt the familiar power of Kings flowing through his blood, like lightning electrifying water. Pushing off from the ground, he warped up to the rooftops to begin his pursuit of the Chancellor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry y'all, I've already put "Shippy Chapter 12 side fic" on my to-write list. I can sense your thirst from here. ;)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noct and Ardyn do Altissia! (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhh mannnn I hope you guys like this chapter, because it was super fun to write! A little longer than this fic's chapters usually are, and now I'm glad that I decided to cut off Chapter 12 where I did and post it earlier, because otherwise it would have been well over 3,000 words all by itself! Phew!
> 
> In META NEWS...I just wanted to acknowledge a little milestone, which is that as of the other day, this humble little ficaroo has reached over 200 Kudos and is well on its way to 300 comments. I wanted to say _**THANK YOU READERS!**_ for making this happen! It's been such a pleasure writing this, and I'm so thankful to all of you who have stopped by and left Kudos and commented, and especially to those of you who come back every chapter to see what ridiculous fate awaits our trio. I love you all! ♥
> 
> This chapter (and the next) is best enjoyed while listening to [Apocalypsis Aquarius/Apocalypsis Noctis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XphDxFS2WWw). :)

Ardyn was a fast-moving target, but luckily his black coat was easy to spot against the terra cotta orange of the roof tiles. Noct wondered about his limits -- with each warp, was he getting closer and closer to hitting Stasis, to exhausting himself and letting Ardyn get away? Somehow he didn’t feel tired at all, not the way he used to in the Living World, so he just kept on going. The city passed beneath him in flashes, like an old-fashioned slideshow.  
  
He could use the Armiger again, _and_ he could warp without worrying about going into Stasis. His muscles buzzed with the energy, and damn if it didn’t feel _good_. Noct caught himself smiling as he followed Ardyn to the top of what seemed to be the tallest building in the area. The Chancellor was waiting for him at the edge of the rooftop.  
  
“So good of you to join me,” said Ardyn. He spotted the look on Noct’s face instantly as he turned to face the King. “Something amusing, Your Majesty?”  
  
“Oh. No. Just...the power,” Noctis replied, catching his breath.  
  
Ardyn grinned, “Sounds as though you’ve been sufficiently _warmed up_ , then. And not a moment too soon -- we’ve arrived at our destination.” He gestured dramatically towards the edge and looked down.  
  
Noctis leaned over to follow his line of sight and immediately took several steps back, putting his gloved hand over his face.  
  
Deep down, he knew it would be the Altar of Leviathan he saw when he looked down over the harbor -- why _else_ would they be here, after all? -- but it still felt like having a sword plunged through his chest _again_ to see its ruins in the sea before him. His life hadn’t been the same once Luna had set foot on that altar -- _none_ of their lives had.  
  
And here he was, standing with the man who had set it all in motion.  
  
Noct felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to find Ardyn frowning at him.  
  
“It’s time,” he said, all of the cheer and perpetual teasing gone out of his voice.  
  
“Time for what?” asked Noctis.  
  
“Perhaps this go around, you can save her,” Ardyn replied, pulling his hand away from Noct’s shoulder. He walked to the edge of the rooftop, stepped off the building, and disappeared.  
  
Noctis scrambled over the roof tiles to get to where Ardyn had been standing. Peering over the edge, he could see a figure in black, moving steadily towards the Altar. And on the precipice of the Altar itself...someone in white?  
  
__Luna?  
  
He clenched his jaw. That wasn’t actually her, right? Didn’t Ardyn say she was watching over their bodies, back in the Beyond? But...what if it _was_ her? What if it was her and he did _nothing_? What if he did nothing and let her die, _again_?  
  
He took a running leap off of the roof, warping himself softly to the ground once he was about halfway down so as not to shatter his ankles on impact. He materialized at the base of the altar, where it jutted from the city into the sea. The two figures -- black and white, a study in contrasts -- waited for him further down the way. He ran towards them.  
  
As he got closer, he could clearly see that the white-clad figure was, as he suspected, Lunafreya.  
  
“Luna!” Noct shouted, but there was no response.  
  
She stood silently, her eyes cast down. A metal collar bound her throat, linked to two cuffs around her hands. A long chain protruded from the back of the collar, which anchored into the Altar itself and kept her from moving more than a foot or so away from where she stood. She looked disheveled, her hair down from its usual up-do, her dress dirty and torn in places. Come to think of it, this was how she looked the day she --  
  
Noct felt like Shiva Herself had frozen his body.  
  
“You _son of a bitch_ ,” Noctis snarled at Ardyn. “Are you gonna make me relive this whole damn day? Make me watch her...watch her _die again_?”  
  
Ardyn’s lips curled into a wild smirk, the wind whipping his shaggy auburn hair around his face, “Only if you make a _royal mess_ of things, Noctis. Don’t you want to know how to _save her_?”  
  
“ _Of course_ I do!”  
  
“It’s quite simple, really. All you have to do is unshackle her, before the tide comes in and the sea swallows all. The water levels here have been a bit... _unpredictable_ since the destruction of most of the canals and levees in the city, so you _may_ wish to hurry.”  
  
“But...how?”  
  
“Oh, _Noct_ , I’m so glad you asked!” Ardyn laughed, and Noctis instantly flashed back to hours spent roaming the halls of Zegnautus Keep while the Chancellor toyed with him. He did not feel the least bit encouraged by that laugh.  
  
“This,” Ardyn held up a small, gold key, “is the key to your lady’s shackles.”  
  
Noct reached for it, but the Chancellor suddenly pulled back.  
  
“Tut tut, dear Noct. I’m afraid _this_ key is but an illusion, for illustrative purposes,” he opened his hand and the key was gone. “The _real thing_ is -- well…”  
  
Noctis was about to yell at Ardyn, about to shake him or murder him or both, when the ground beneath them began to rumble. From beneath the depths, Leviathan emerged. The Tidemother was just as imposing as the day Noctis had forged the Covenant with her. The sunlight glinted silver off of her blue scales, but there was another gleam of a different color that caught Noct’s eye -- a small, golden object tucked into the scales just below her head. She returned beneath the waves in one fluid motion.  
  
Ardyn continued to laugh as Noctis gaped, somewhere between anger and total shock.  
  
“Oh _Noctis_ , _dear_ , if you could _see your face_ …” Ardyn took a breath, collecting himself. “I know what you’re thinking. You are wondering how on _Eos_ you will possibly get that key, hmm?”  
  
Noct frowned and crossed his arms.  
  
“I thought as much. Well, ‘tis a fortunate thing you have access to the Armiger once more, is it not? I dare say the Hydraean will not be likely to give it up without a fight. Although...it seems to me that you will have to _find_ her again first. Tell me, do you have a _rod and tackle_ stored in your Armiger still?”  
  
The King blinked, trying to process what Ardyn was suggesting. “I’m sorry -- are you saying I should try... _fishing up Leviathan_?”  
  
“Well, certainly. How _else_ were you expecting to get her attention? And you’d better get to it -- the water level is already beginning to rise…”  
  
“Why are you _doing_ this?” asked Noctis, his voice cracking as he tried not to weep.  
  
In response, Ardyn walked behind Luna and tugged lightly on her collar-chain. Her eyes fluttered open.  
  
“Noctis, please…” she said softly, distantly, as though from another world. “I believe in you, Noctis. I always have. Do what you must do.”  
  
The Chancellor shrugged his shoulders, “I asked you to trust me.”  
  
Noct realized he had been unconsciously holding his breath. He exhaled sharply, balled his hands into fists, clenched them tightly, then released them. He held out his hand and called forth his Tranquility Rod. He gave it a once-over, making sure his prized Llymlaen Reel was still attached to it.  
  
He chuckled a little, thinking of how many days of gambling at the Arena Galviano it had taken him to get that reel. Gods, how pissed his Crownsguard had been when he’d forced them to stay so long just to get it! Now that he thought about it, it was just Ignis who had been annoyed. Really, Prompto would accompany Noct anywhere if he asked it, and Gladio secretly enjoyed Totomostro (something about the bit where it was about watching beasts rip each other apart, Noct guessed). Ignis had been a good sport regardless, helping Noct to come up with winning strategies. Maybe he thought that the faster they _won_ , the sooner they could _leave_. Either way, they had stayed for almost a week straight, and in the end he’d earned enough medals to trade in for the reel. The one that he was about to use to attempt to catch _a sea goddess_.  
  
Noct sighed. His dreams had been strange when he was a child, but he was fairly certain this one took the proverbial cake.  
  
He walked to the end of the Altar and looked down into the water. He could see Ardyn had been right about the tide -- even in the short amount of time since he had warped down from the roof of the building, the water level had risen noticeably. As a veteran angler, he knew the _normal_ rate of tides, but he had no idea what to expect from this magical dream tide -- or how much time it meant he had left before they no longer had a platform to stand on.  
  
He cast his line into the abyss.  
  
Ardyn came up behind him, humming a jaunty tune, “I _do_ hope Leviathan is the only creature biting out there at present. Goodness knows the last thing you need right now is to waste your time catching small fry…Although, perhaps if you used live bait, she may be lured in more quickly...”  
  
“Live bait? I’ve never...I’ve only ever used tackles…” said Noctis, jigging his line.  
  
“This revelation does not surprise me in the least, Noctis. Should we make it out of here unscathed, I will teach you the finer subtleties of the craft. Now _focus_!”  
  
The water was just below the bottom of the Altar and Noct had recast his line several times when something finally bit. It was a soft, gentle tug at first, like the weak throes of a barrelfish. He sighed, disappointed, and began to reel it in, thinking that he could at least try Ardyn’s live bait suggestion.  
  
Suddenly, the pull on the line became stronger. And stronger still. Noctis was caught off guard and was nearly pulled forwards. The tugs grew yet more powerful. Noct grunted as his pole began to bend with the strain. He dug his heels in and braced himself.  
  
“Ardyn!” he shouted, “I think this is it!”  
  
“Better put your back into it, then!” Ardyn replied, watching from a distance.  
  
Noctis could feel himself being dragged towards the end of the ruined Altar, where the waves were crashing against the stone. In desperation, he did the only thing he could think of -- he activated his full Armiger, letting the power surge from his core all the way down to the tips of his hands and feet. The Royal Arms he had earned with his own blood, sweat, and tears whirled around him as he pulled back on the rod and reeled with all his might.  
  
\-- and then the line _snapped_. The force sent Noct flying, and he found himself flat on his back with the wind completely knocked out of him as the impact drove the air from his lungs. His rod shot off to the side of the Altar and disappeared back into the Armiger-space with a crystalline sound.  
  
When Noctis caught his breath, he opened his eyes to find Ardyn standing over him.  
  
“You have a guest, Your Majesty. Well, I suppose _you_ are __her guest. Either way, best not to keep her waiting,” Ardyn reached out a hand to pull him up. Noctis took it and stood slowly, brushing himself off.  
  
At the end of the altar, with the waves crashing behind her, a yellow-eyed mermaid hovered in the air. Her tail was shaped like a dolphin’s, but scaled, and blue as the deep waters of Accordo itself. Noct realized with a blush that she was topless, though her dark hair was pulled back and braided to one side, and the plait itself long enough to cover part of her chest. Her garments consisted of two accessories: an elaborate brass chain strung with long, flat brass bars like piano keys, and a plain silver chain, on which hung the golden key Ardyn had shown him earlier.  
  
“We meet again, Little King. Have you come to demand more of my blessings?” said the mermaid, her voice like thunder over the open ocean.  
  
Noctis felt his heart clench.  
  
“I need that key, Leviathan. For Lunafreya.”  
  
She held up the key on the chain and leaned one hand on her hip, “This trinket? I found it in the deep waters right here, just after we forged our Covenant. Finders, keepers, Little King.”  
  
From the air before her the Hydraean pulled a long, leather whip with an elaborately carved white marble handle. She cracked the whip at Noct’s feet.  
  
“If you want it so desperately, foolish mortal, come and show me that you are worthy of it.”  
  
Noctis called forth his Ultima Blade and prepared to face Leviathan once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took Leviathan's Messenger form from [the Genesis artwork](http://i.imgur.com/Gvqu5L9.jpg), which you can find hanging in the Citadel. I did take some liberties with her hair and color scheme, since you can't really see them. (Also, anybody else think that pose she's doing with Bahamut is...interesting? *cough*)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis faces off against the Hydraean!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay in posting! This is a busy and stressful time of year at Ye Olde Day Job, and I've also not been well, and I've also...started a new fic that briefly swallowed me whole (see my works list for the ridiculous details, hahaha). Life is fun, isn't it? :)
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, and for your kudos, comments, and love! ♥
> 
> We pick up right where we left off...!

As the Hydraean chased him up and down the length of the Altar, snapping at his heels with her stockwhip, Noctis wondered to himself why he had _ever_ thought the Tidemother might just honor their previous Covenant and hand over the key to Luna’s shackles.  
  
He had started off attempting close-quarters combat, but each time he pulled a weapon out and faced her down, she near-instantaneously used her whip to grasp the sword or dagger, and sent it flying out of Noct’s reach. Now he had changed strategies and was trying his best to fight while keeping his distance from her. He pulled the Bow of the Clever from the Armiger-space and shot bolts in her direction. He was a little alarmed when she easily batted them away, and then quite a bit _more_ alarmed when she began to _catch_ the bolts in mid-air and toss them aside, like so much chaff.  
  
“You are not worthy to have this key, Little King,” Leviathan growled. “You could not save your beloved then, and you will not save her now.”  
  
Noct warped behind her, hoping to catch her off guard, but it was as though she could _feel_ his presence without actually seeing him. By the time he reappeared, she had already turned around and was looking right at him. Her face showed no emotion as she lashed her whip out again. This time it caught him around the ankle.  
  
“Nothing was ever the same between you and your friends after you came here, now was it?”  
  
She yanked the whip towards herself and Noct felt his feet go out from under him. He fell flat on his back with a damp _smack_ \-- the water level had continued to rise as they clashed, and a layer of liquid at least an inch deep now covered the Altar. Time was quickly running out, but what could he do against against a foe who seemed to read his moves before he made them?  
  
Leviathan pulled on the whip and began to reel Noct in towards her. (The irony was almost too much for him to bear. He said a quick apology to all the fish he’d ever caught.) Her laughter sounded like a seabird’s call, high and trilling.  
  
“You left your Princess to _die_ , while Altissia went to pieces around you.”  
  
As he was being dragged along the wet ground, it dawned on him that it was _kind of weird_ for the Tidemother to comment on the destruction of her patron city like she _hadn’t_ been the one responsible. The Leviathan he remembered was _proud_ of the chaos She caused. Looking up at the Altissian sky, he suddenly remembered that up until a little while ago, it had been the sky above the Citadel Courtyard, and he had been lying beneath its grand cherry tree.  
  
 _You may back out and wake up at any time -- this is_ your dream _, after all_ , Ardyn had told him.  
  
If this was _his dream_ , Noct thought, didn’t things have to follow _his rules_? Why was he letting the Hydraean kick his ass like this?  
  
Unless...she wasn’t the Hydraean at all.  
  
 _Oh.  
  
_ Leviathan hovered above him. She licked her lips in anticipation of...actually, Noct didn’t really want to think about it.  
  
“What will you do, foolish human?”  
  
Her whip still wrapped around his ankle, she dropped its handle and held up her hands, brandishing long, slender nails that reminded him of the sharp teeth of an anglerfish. She lunged at him, but this time he was ready for her. He summoned his Ultima Blade and blocked her attack. She pushed against it, but he held fast.  
  
“Ardyn!” Noctis called out.  
  
“Yes, Your Majesty?” Ardyn called back, one foot propped up on a large bit of debris.  
  
“Wanna lend me a hand?”  
  
“Oh _Noct_ ,” he grinned, cracking his knuckles, “I thought you’d _never ask_.”  
  
Ardyn disappeared in a flash of magenta and reappeared behind Leviathan. He stomped on the narrowest bit of her tail, where the flukes met the tail stock. The Hydraean shrieked, rearing back, trying to twist around to rake the Chancellor’s face with her claws, but was unable to reach him. Ardyn waited until she came ever so slightly too close, then seized her by her long braid and wrapped it around his fist, holding her in place.  
  
“Take what is _yours_ , Noctis,” Ardyn nodded to the key, still hanging from the Hydraean’s neck.  
  
Noct swallowed. He braced himself against part of the Altar as he stood, the water -- up to his ankles now -- splashing around him. He reached out to take the key, but Leviathan hissed and took a swipe at him, her arms still very much free to move despite the rest of her body being kept immobile by Ardyn.  
  
“Hand it over, Leviathan -- the fight’s done,” said Noct.  
  
“This key is _mine_ ,” she spat.  
  
Noct sighed exasperatedly, crossing his arms, “Look, I can’t explain it well, but...the way you matched my moves, like you knew what I was about to do before I did -- it was like _fighting myself_. But it wasn’t until I remembered that this is just a dreamworld that I realized. You’re a _part of me_ , aren’t you? You’re the part of me that feels guilty for what happened in Altissia.”  
  
Leviathan growled at him. Behind her, unnoticed by Noctis, Ardyn bowed his head and smirked.  
  
“When I faced Leviathan -- the _real_ Leviathan -- I couldn’t do anything to help Luna, or my friends. I had to follow the path of my destiny, for the good of the world. But this time...my fate is my own to make.”  
  
Noctis extended his hand and called forth his father’s blade.  
  
“This is _my_ dream. I am _King_ of this world. That means _you_ bow to _me_ here.”  
  
She flashed him a wicked smile, “Hmph. Take your key, then. Free your queen. But know that I will always be here, Little King, hiding in the back of your mind.”  
  
“Yeah, I know,” said Noct. “But that’s my burden to bear.”  
  
He reached out with the tip of the sword and plucked the chain from the Hydraean’s neck, taking the little gold key in his hand.  
  
“And I was only _half_ talking to you.”  
  
Noct switched out the Sword of the Father for the Scepter of the Pious and warped behind Ardyn. He reared back and gave the Chancellor a swift _whack_ to the back of the head with the bulbous end of the Scepter. Ardyn groaned and slumped forward limply. Leviathan began to glow like a hot coal. She burst into rays of white light, shattered like crystal, and disappeared. Without the Astral to hold him up, Ardyn suddenly dropped face-first into the water. Noct turned him over so as not to drown him.  
  
“That’s for what _you_ did back then, in this place,” said Noctis, leaning over the Chancellor’s unconscious body. Then he very ungracefully sloshed away towards Luna.  
  
Lunafreya had sat down at some point while he was fighting, and the water was up to her stomach. She stood as her King approached, her wet white dress clinging to her in a way that made Noct’s face flush.  
  
“You did it, Noctis,” Luna smiled warmly at him. “I knew you would. It was very brave of you to confront the Hydraean...er, well...yourself like that.”  
  
She presented her bound wrists to him, and he took them gently and inserted the golden key into the little keyhole. With a faint click, the shackles fell open. He did the same with the collar around her neck. He tossed the fetters into the water, where they landed with a splash and sank. Luna rubbed at the space where the collar had been.  
  
“So,” Noctis chuckled, “what part of my _Altissian guilt trip_ are you?”  
  
Lunafreya looked at him, confused, then burst into laughter. “Oh, Noctis! I’m not an illusion or some bit of your psyche or anything like that. It’s _really me_. Ardyn and I projected here.”  
  
“But...he told me you were back in the Beyond, watching over our bodies…”  
  
“Gentiana is kindly doing us that service. Easier for an Astral to help in a pinch, don’t you think?”  
  
“Then...you really were in danger?”  
  
“Oh yes, definitely. If you hadn’t freed me and I’d drowned here, Gentiana would have had to come retrieve my consciousness from your mind. It doesn’t sound like it would have been very fun.”  
  
“No, I guess not,” Noct pondered for a beat. “Will you excuse me? I should go wake Ardyn so he doesn’t get stuck here. And then maybe I’ll kill him in the Beyond. _Again_.”  
  
\--------------------------  
  
Noctis opened his eyes and found himself staring at the familiar ceiling of the Royal Bedchamber. Only...his bed felt a bit more crowded than usual. He sat up abruptly. He looked to his left, where Lunafreya laid, calmly watching him with a playful expression on her face, her hands folded on top of her stomach. To his right was Ardyn, every bit the right bastard he was, his legs crossed at the knee, his arms behind his head. Gentiana sat in a chair in the corner, thoughtfully watching the scene unfold.  
  
“Good __morning , Noct,” Ardyn purred, grinning all the while. “Did you have a nice nap?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Hang on, Noctis, you have a little something on your face,” said Luna, wetting her thumb with the tip of her tongue and using it to scrub at the fake mustache on his upper lip. “Oh...it’s, um...it’s not coming off.”
> 
> “You...actually have something on your face too, Luna,” Noct touched a finger to her cheek, tracing the outline of a cactuar.
> 
> Luna clapped her hands to her face in embarrassment. They turned to look at Ardyn and both blushed furiously red.
> 
> “What? What’s on my face?” the Chancellor rubbed at his cheeks.
> 
> The King and Queen couldn’t bear to say.
> 
> Invisible to the trio, Gentiana laughed quietly. She didn’t toy with mortals often, but she had to admit, it certainly was _fun_.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, friends! ♥
> 
> I deeply apologize for the lengthy hiatus. I found myself in a bit of a rut after the last chapter and uncertain how the story needed to unfold in order to continue, and I didn't want to just post garbage just to be able to say I was updating regularly. Instead, I let it lie (and wrote [some other works](http://archiveofourown.org/users/banditess/works)) until the muses came back to me. Don't worry y'all -- I love this AU _dearly_ and I fully plan to see it through to the end, no matter how long that might take.
> 
> That being said...I would like to make you all aware that The End _is_ coming. I don't know how soon, or how many chapters it will take to get there -- but while I will continue to write side-stories in this AU here and there when inspiration strikes, the main story will be ending once this "arc" is resolved.
> 
> Thank you all so much for sticking with me this far, and especially to those of you who have been my cheerleaders through my writer's block. It means more to me than you know. :)

Even a few weeks after his “rematch” with Leviathan, Noctis was amazed by how much _lighter_ he felt. It was as though he’d had weights strapped to his legs this entire time, and he’d finally found a way to release them. He no longer felt as though he was struggling to walk through life in slow-motion.  
  
...For the most part, anyway. As the Leviathan in his dream had said, she would always be there in the back of his mind. Noctis still had bad days, when she would rise to the surface like a red tide, blighting the good in his life. But those days were fewer, and they were easier to weather when they did come around.  
  
He couldn’t have done it without Ardyn and Luna. He hated to even _admit_ that Ardyn had a hand in it...but Noct had to give credit where it was due. Ardyn and Luna had schemed together like two schoolgirls gossipping behind Noct’s back, and in the end they had pulled off something pretty amazing.  
  
Noct’s first order of business, now that he was feeling better, was to set about reconstructing the Regalia. Sure, he could just teleport wherever, or use Umbra’s abilities if he wanted, but neither of those options allowed for the feeling of the wind in his hair and a gear shift in his hand, or the purring of _horsepower_ under the hood. But as he’d learned from creating the ingredients to make a fire some time ago, making something from scratch was easier said than done.  
  
“Even one screw missing and she’ll fall apart completely,” Noct said, looking down at the single, shiny hubcap he’d lovingly wrought for a wheel he had yet to create.  
  
“Hmph. Sounds like a lover I once had,” Ardyn laughed softly, his hands on his hips. “Perhaps it would help if you had some sort of _reference_ to follow?”  
  
“That’s not a half-bad idea. I bet Cindy’s got blueprints at Hammerhead I can snag. Back in two shakes.”  
  
Noctis closed his eyes and disappeared, leaving Ardyn standing alone in the Citadel garage just as Luna strode in.  
  
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “I thought I would find both of you here. Where is Noctis?”  
  
“Off to Hammerhead to look for materials for his _project_. I doubt he will be away for long -- you may as well stay and wait for him, if there was a reason for your coming _besides_ just wishing to see our _handsome faces_.” Ardyn settled into a nearby chair and leaned back.  
  
Luna took a seat in the chair beside him. She laced her fingers together and perched her hands carefully in her lap. She did not look at Ardyn when she spoke. “Actually, it’s just as well that he’s not here. There is...something I wished to discuss with you.”  
  
“Is that so?” Ardyn made a questioning sound. “And what might that be, my Lady?”  
  
She rubbed her thumbs together, fidgeting. “As you may recall, I had brought you here primarily for Noctis. I’m sure you’ve noticed that since our... _intervention_ , he’s been doing quite well. I wished to thank you for your assistance.”  
  
Ardyn inclined his head in acknowledgement. “I sense that _expressing your gratitude_ was not the only thing you wished to do, Lunafreya.”  
  
“No, it wasn’t.” She paused a beat. “I wanted...to offer you the choice of returning to your eternal rest, now that you’ve done what I asked of you. I’ve spoken with our _divine friends_ , and they are willing to make it happen. But since I resurrected you _of my own accord_ before -- _selfishly,_ as you said -- I wished to be certain that you made this choice yourself.”  
  
Ardyn was quiet, and for a moment Luna wasn’t sure he had even been paying attention. But then she noticed his furrowed brow. So he _had_ been listening.  
  
“You don’t need to answer me now,” she said, standing up from her chair and turning to face him. She clasped her hands behind her back. “In fact, please, _do_ take some time to think about it.”  
  
He rubbed his chin and looked up at her. “I shall take it under consideration.”  
  
The silence between them was on the verge of becoming awkward when Noctis appeared behind Luna, multiple rolled-up blueprints half as tall as him gathered in his arms. One fell from his grasp, bouncing lightly as it hit the floor and unrolled at Luna’s feet.  
  
She squatted down and examined the blueprint, squinting at the fine details. “I knew cars were complex, but I don’t think I realized they were made of so many... _tiny pieces_.”  
  
“Tell me about it,” Noct laid the remaining blueprints on a nearby workbench. “Hopefully, these will help me put those pieces together.”  
  
Luna picked up the blueprint on the floor by its corners and handed it carefully to Noctis with a smile, who rolled it back up and set it with the others. He leaned his hip against the workbench and crossed his arms. He was considering where to begin when Luna’s voice broke his concentration.  
  
“Ardyn, are you...alright?”  
  
Noct looked towards the Chancellor. Now that she said something, he realized: Ardyn _had_ been quiet since he’d come back from Hammerhead. Gods knew, it wasn’t like him to be quiet.  
  
Ardyn was staring off into the distance, a melancholy expression on his face. On hearing Lunafreya’s question, he began to grin. “Oh yes, my dear. Quite dandy.” He stood from his seat and ambled over to them. “‘Tis only that with all this talk of automobiles, the thought had occurred to me that perhaps I ought to venture out and retrieve my own.”  
  
Noct snorted involuntarily. “ _That_ ugly bucket of bolts? Why would you go get that when you could have literally _any car_ you wanted here?”  
  
The Chancellor frowned deeply. “She is a _dear old thing, Noctis_ , and I will ask you to kindly _speak of her_ with _respect_.”  
  
Clearly, Noct had hit a nerve. Ardyn eyeballed him like a sabertusk stalking prey.  
  
“As your Regalia was precious to you, my automobile is precious to me. Need I really explain further?”  
  
Noctis raised his hands apologetically. “I, uh...I think we’re good. I mean, I get it.” He cleared his throat. “If you wanna go get your car, I’ll come look for it with you. Where’d you leave it?”  
  
Ardyn took a moment to think, rubbing the stubble on his chin. “Assuming no one has absconded with it since our deaths...it _should_ be quite close by. Care to take a quick jaunt over to the South End of the Crown City?”  
  
“The South End? Where the forests are? Why would it be parked there?”  
  
“Oh, come now, Noct, it would ruin the _surprise_ if I told you _up front_. You’ll just have to _trust me_ \-- have I not earned some of that by this point?” Noctis hesitantly nodded his assent, so Ardyn looked to Lunafreya. “I solemnly promise I shall have your husband home before sundown -- or at least, I _would_ promise, had I even the _plainest_ idea of how time passed in this realm.”  
  
“Well, alright,” she said, “but do be careful, won’t you?”  
  
Noctis pushed off of the workbench and gave Luna a kiss on the cheek. He smiled warmly at her. “Hey, look at it this way -- it can’t end up _worse_ than the _last_ road-trip I took.”  
  
He put a hand on Ardyn’s shoulder, and in a blink, they both vanished.  
  
Lunafreya put a hand to her mouth and ran her thumb along the edge of her lip. Noctis was right -- certainly, any trouble they might get into _could not_ be worse than all they had already been through. But suffering was suffering all the same, and she did not want anything to befall them.  
  
She sighed, thinking about the gloomy expression on Ardyn’s face when she caught him spacing out. Had he been contemplating her offer? He was not normally so careless about wearing his heart on his sleeve. Lunafreya simply wished she could reach out and heal worries with a touch, the way Noctis had made himself and Ardyn disappear. The way she once healed people of the Scourge.  
  
She prayed that Ardyn would find peace, no matter his ultimate decision.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Square Enix forgive me my lore speculation, I am but a humble fic writer.  
>  ~~Please give us an Ardyn DLC, Amen.~~

Noctis and Ardyn reappeared beneath a verdant canopy of trees, stretching as far as the eyes could see. It had been years since Noct had come to this side of Insomnia. Not just because of the whole... _ten year nap inside the Crystal_ thing, either. Even when he had been a resident of the Crown City, before he had left on his fateful journey, he never came to the South End. Well, _almost_ never. Just once in high school, on a mutual dare with Prompto. And even then, they had only made it to the perimeter before finding a very irritated Cor waiting to pick them up and take them back to the Citadel.  
  
The people of Lucis always said the forest of Insomnia’s South End was _haunted_. That the vengeful spirits of those who could not pass into the Beyond due to _unfinished business_ lived there. He and Prom had just wanted to see some ghosts. More specifically, Noct had wanted to see _his mother’s_ ghost. He hadn't said this out loud to Prompto, of course -- he’d kept his wish to see ghosts _impersonal_. But he just couldn't imagine that a queen who had died leaving behind a small child _wouldn't_ feel like she had unfinished business. Surely she would have been wandering around in that forest...waiting for him…  
  
And now here he was, following Ardyn beneath the cover of the branches, through the very forest he had been denied entry to so long ago. Fate moves in mysterious ways.  
  
Ardyn moved through the trees as though he had a sixth sense about where to go. Like he had been born in the forest and only very recently rejoined Polite Society. He turned at junctures Noctis would never have been able to tell were different from the last one they took, corrected course when Noct was sure they had been going the same direction for yards. Normally, Noct would have been yelling at Ardyn by now, demanding proof that the Chancellor had even the faintest clue where he was going. But Ardyn had asked Noct to trust him, so for once he was going to try to do that _without_ complaining. Besides, even the Afterlife version of the forest was eerie, so if Ardyn knew his way around it, then so be it -- Noctis was happy to let him take the lead.  
  
After a time, they came upon a clearing in the middle of the dense woods. In the center of the clearing stood a large grassy mound, the size of a small hill. A doorway set into the base of the mound suggested that it might be hollow on the inside, or at least partly so. On a wide path leading up to the mound from the other side of the forest, Ardyn's bright magenta automobile sat parked, every bit as garish as the last time Noct had seen it. The color made him wince.  
  
“Ah, there she is, my dear old thing,” Ardyn cooed happily as he stroked the hood. “So glad to see she's still here.”  
  
The unofficial spell of silence broken, Noct spoke up. “Ardyn, we're so deep in the forest, I don't think anyone would come here to steal _anything_ , much less your _car_.” He ventured towards the mound. “Seriously though, what the hell _is_ this place? I...I always heard the rumors about the forest as a kid, but…”  
  
Ardyn sat down on the hood of his car and crossed his arms. “What, the stories that these woods were _haunted by vengeful spirits_? The ones who _cannot move on to the Beyond_?” He waggled his fingers faux-menacingly. “Those rumors?”  
  
“You heard them too?” Noct looked back at Ardyn, surprised.  
  
“Noctis. My dear Noct,” he chuckled as though laughing at his own joke, “I _started_ those rumors, right here in Lucis. About a thousand years ago, give or take. I had already been _scrubbed_ from history. No one knew my name or face. But I needed a place to hide where no one would bother me, just in case. Who knew when the Chosen King would come, and the Prophecy begin? So I started telling a ghost story to whomever would listen, and people stopped coming around.” He shrugged. “Humans can be gullible creatures.”  
  
“You mean you were _right here in Insomnia_ half the time people were _looking for you_?”  
  
“Oh no! That's not it at all. By the time I came here, I was long forgotten. No one was _actively_ looking for me anymore. Well, perhaps a debt collector or two after that one evening in Altissia…” He cleared his throat. “But there were many years, you see, between my imprisonment at Angelgard and my time with the Empire. And during that time...I _occasionally_ came home.”  
  
“So this is, what, your _hideout_?” Noct asked.  
  
Ardyn looked offended. “‘Tis a little more than that. Take a look inside, won't you?”  
  
Noct hesitated a moment, but Ardyn gestured at him, stretching out his arm as though pushing Noct inside. Noct poked his head through the doorway and into the dark. The flashlight on his chest sensed the light level and illuminated automatically, allowing Noct to see further in.  
  
As he suspected, the inside of the mound was hollow. Knowing now that this had been Ardyn’s hideaway in the Crown City, he was unsurprised to see a cot against one wall and the remnants of a fire pit in the center of the room. What _was_ a surprise, however, was the dirt staircase at the back, leading down to another door. Cautiously, Noct stepped inside, and tread carefully down the staircase, putting a hand against the cool, clay wall for balance.  
  
When he reached the bottom of the staircase and looked into the room beyond, Noctis rubbed his eyes and blinked. Maybe what he was seeing was just a trick of the light? But no: In the center of the circular room stood a single horizontal statue -- a woman’s body carved from marble, lying down, her arms crossed over her chest with a quill pen in one hand and a roll of parchment in the other. She wore a small side crown in the Lucian style, and a medallion with the crest of Lucis engraved upon it encircled her neck.  
  
“Not all kings and queens of Lucis were so fortunate as to be immortalized as part of the Lucii,” Noctis nearly jumped out of his skin at Ardyn's voice behind him. “Particularly if they married into the family, as my mother did. But if you ask me, they still deserved to have tombs as grand as those they built for the Lucii. Don't you agree, dear Noct?” He inclined his head. “This was all my brother could give to her after I...after I was exiled.”  
  
Reverent silence settled between them. Noctis looked again at the face of the statue. He saw the clear family resemblance to Ardyn: the strong jaw and striking eyes, the piercing gaze of which he could feel even though carved from stone.  
  
And then it occurred to Noct that she was _his_ ancestor, too. He wondered how much of her Ardyn saw in _him_.  
  
The Chancellor ran his hand over the smooth marble of the statue. Noct looked up to find him frowning down at it. At _her_.  
  
“She deserved _better_ ,” Ardyn said simply, with a dark edge to his voice Noct had not heard since they’d been _alive_.  
  
Suddenly, the memory of how he felt when he was scheming to come to the South End with Prompto came rushing back to Noct -- the loneliness, the _ache_ in his heart -- and he understood why Ardyn had wanted to keep this place for himself. The yearning of a son wanting to reunite with his lost mother in the forest...Well. Just add it to the list of shit he had in common with Ardyn, he guessed.  
  
Noct put a hand to Ardyn's shoulder. “Come on. We didn't come here for her today, remember? We can always come visit her another time.”  
  
Ardyn paused for a moment, as though considering something, then nodded slowly. He let his fingers trail off of the statue as he turned away and began to return the way they came, up the staircase.  
  
There were no questions about who would be driving. Ardyn gestured to Noct, inviting him in as he took the driver’s seat. He adjusted his mirrors, gazing into them, lingering perhaps a half-second longer than was necessary to actually make sure they were in position.  
  
Noctis looked on, an eyebrow raised. “Your face is still there, Ardyn, trust me. I gotta see it all the time.”  
  
“My, my, Noctis, don't _we_ have a smart mouth today,” Ardyn replied, putting the car into gear. Surprisingly, she shifted smoothly, and they began to move. “First, you disrespect my automobile. Now, you disrespect my person. What, praytell, will be next, I wonder? Our illustrious royal family, the Lucis Caelums? Though I assure you, I would take no offense _whatsoever_ should you choose to disrespect _them_.”  
  
Noct chuckled a little. Still, it made him think…  
  
“Hey, Ardyn.”  
  
“Yes, Noct?”  
  
“Your brother...he was a king, wasn't he? Was he...one of the Lucii?”  
  
Ardyn laughed so hard Noct thought he would drive off the path and straight into a tree. Noct was suddenly very glad they were already dead. But the smile on Ardyn’s face turned swiftly grim.  
  
“Do you know, Noctis, that I traveled to each of the Royal Tombs myself, gathering the Royal Arms? There were several monarchs already interred, when I escaped Angelgard. I expected one of them might be Izunia. Yet...none were. The Founding King of Lucis, and yet not one of the Lucii.” He scoffed. “Truly, the gods do not know how to reward their Chosen.”  
  
Noct pondered for a moment, leaning his elbow against the car door. “The Founding King...That reminds me of something Gladio said, after he came back from his Trial.”  
  
“Oh? Do tell.”  
  
“He said the Blademaster he fought was the First Shield. That he had protected the First King of Lucis. It's kinda wild that the Blademaster was still alive and kicking out in Taelpar...at least his spirit anyway--”  
  
A screeching sound came tearing out of the car as Ardyn slammed on the brakes. Noct braced himself against the dash and once again felt thankful to be dead already. He’d never missed Iggy's driving so much in his life.  
  
Ardyn sat silently, gripping the steering wheel. He took a few deep breaths before speaking again. “Noctis. I have...a favor I would ask of you.”  
  
Noct nodded. “Of course.”  
  
“It seems I am yet a vengeful spirit with unfinished business, though at long last I have made it to the Beyond. Would you _humor me_ with a _road trip_ to Taelpar Crag, before we return to your Lady at the Citadel?”  
  
“Oh, uh, sure? I mean, I don't know if the Blademaster will be there, if you were looking to talk to him…”  
  
Ardyn shook his head. “No. He may not be there. But my brother's tomb _will_ be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> banditess  
> OH GOD  
> nickofhearts  
> ????  
> banditess  
> I JUST IMAGINED DARIN DE PAUL SAYING THE PHRASE "DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR?" AND NEARLY LOST MY SHIT COMPLETELY IN THIS FUCKING STARBUCKS  
> nickofhearts  
> OH MY GOOOOOOD  
> I'M DEAD  
> banditess  
> I'M LAUGHING SO FUCKING HARD  
> nickofhearts  
> SLADKJFALKSJDFLAJK  
> banditess  
> WELP THIS IS GOING IN THE END NOTES NOW


	17. Interlude - On the Road and In My Head

Of all the surreal things Noct had experienced in the Afterlife, driving out of Insomnia with Ardyn -- in _Ardyn’s car_ , no less -- _could_ have been the most unsettling one yet.  
  
They crossed the long bridge to the Lucian mainland, the normally arid Leidan air feeling unseasonably pleasant against Noct’s cheeks. Familiar landmarks began to pass. Familiar billboards passed, too, though they were faded, torn, and sometimes dismantled entirely. Noct felt a heaviness in his chest as he realized they would soon be coming upon the spot where it all began.  
  
_Not exactly a fairytale beginning, huh, Prince Noctis?_  
  
Gladio had joked about the Regalia’s breakdown being an _omen_ , but now Noct knew the truth: his fate was sealed _long_ before his car had petered out on the road to Altissia.  
  
He looked over to the driver’s seat. Ardyn was singing softly to himself, the wind tousling his already too-wild hair.  
  
“I can _feel_ you staring at me, Noct,” Ardyn glanced over, smirking. “Are you _trying_ to _bore a hole_ through my skull with those _icy blues_ of yours? And here I thought we were _through_ with trying to _off_ one another. Or can you simply not tear your eyes away from my _radiant countenance_?”  
  
Noct sighed and turned back to the road. “I wasn’t _staring_ at you. Just...thinking.”  
  
Ardyn waited a few moments for Noct to elaborate, but it seemed no further explanation was forthcoming. “Well...it doesn’t much matter to _me_ if you want to share your thoughts. I am but a captive audience, you see. That said, if it _sways_ your decision at all, we _do_ have quite a bit of road ahead, and somehow I don’t think we’ll be getting much in the way of _radio reception_ here in the Beyond.”  
  
“I was...thinking about _fate_ ,” Noct offered.  
  
“Ah, my _favorite_ topic,” Ardyn replied, sarcasm dripping like honey from his words.  
  
“Well, the more I think about it,” Noct continued, “in a way, if it hadn’t been for whatever happened between you and your brother and the Astrals -- sure, I might never have had to _die_ to save the world...but maybe I would never have even been _born at all_. I dunno if that makes me feel _better_ or _worse_.”  
  
“Hmm,” Ardyn considered this. “Without an Accursed to banish, perhaps there would not have been a need for a King of Light, certainly. But as you well know, the gods pay little heed to the _personal lives_ of humans.” He scoffed. “So while it is impossible to say with certainty _what_ may have come to pass had I not been _abandoned_ as I was...perhaps there may still have eventually been a King Mors, whose heir was King Regis, who wed the beautiful Aulea, whose child was Prince Noctis. And _that_ Prince Noctis, unburdened by the weight of _Bahamut’s curse_ , might instead have had the good fortune to be burdened by _tax collection_ and _gala organization_ and other such _peacetime squabbles_.”  
  
“ _Ramuh’s beard_ ,” Noctis laughed, “I hope Iggy exists in that universe, too. I don’t know _jack shit_ about taxes _or_ galas. He tried damn hard to teach me though.”  
  
Ardyn laughed with him for a moment, then turned nostalgic, a serious expression crossing his face. “You were very lucky to have such stalwart companions by your side.”  
  
Noct thought of his Crownsguard -- his _brothers_ \-- saluting him on the steps of the Citadel, in the dark of the Eternal Night. He hoped that wherever they were, whatever they were doing, they were still _walking tall_.  
  
“Yeah, I was.”  
  
The conversation lapsed into silence for a time. Ardyn continued to drive the straightaway through Leide, and soon the desert gave way to the timber-lined roads of Duscae. As they reached the halfway point at Cauthess, Noct offered to take the wheel for a time, but Ardyn declined.  
  
“You may recall I’ve had a _number_ of years of experience driving on _no sleep_. But your offer is appreciated.”  
  
“Sure,” said Noct, shifting in his seat to get the sunset out of his eyes. “I just thought that, y’know, going to your brother’s tomb and all...you might want to rest before we get there.”  
  
“Frankly, Noctis, I _cope_ better when I am _engaged_ in something. Besides, you and I both know I don’t _deserve_ your kindness.”  
  
_Deserve_? Noct had never known Ardyn to be one for self-pity. But then again...did he really know Ardyn that well, when it came down to it? Noct felt he _understood_ the Chancellor -- _deeply_ understood him, maybe even _better_ than most -- in a lot of ways they were two of a kind, after all. But _knew_ him…? Shit, he didn’t even know the guy’s favorite color. It was almost like they were doing this _friendship_ thing _backwards_. It was hard to get to know someone when they had two thousand years of secrets...  
  
“Okay but seriously, the _hell_ is going _on_ with you lately?” Noct snapped, narrowing his eyes. “I know you’ve got your issues. After all you’ve been through, I get that. But even _I_ can tell when something’s _really wrong_ , Ardyn.”  
  
Noct could nearly cut the tension with a knife as Ardyn hesitated.  
  
“It isn’t any of your business, really,” Ardyn said, finally.  
  
Noct scoffed. “Maybe it’s not. But you said it earlier, didn’t you? You thought we were done trying to kill each other? You’ve already seen all my insecurities, Ardyn. Well, most of them anyway. Probably got a couple left to uncover.” Noct was pleased to see Ardyn smile at that. “My turn to be your captive audience.”  
  
Ardyn sighed and frowned, running one hand through his shaggy hair as he kept the other on the steering wheel. “Your wife,” he started, his voice somewhere between _annoyed_ and _anguished_ , “has _kindly_ offered to allow me to return to Oblivion, now that we’ve seen you back to health.”  
  
“She _what_?!” Noctis almost choked on his own saliva. “Gods, Ardyn, I didn’t know -- she didn’t talk to me about it at all. How could she even _do_ that, after everything…”  
  
“Oh, _Noct_ ,” Ardyn interrupted. “Your distress on my behalf is noted, but you misunderstand. It isn’t as though I _wished_ to be here in the Beyond in the first place. Lady Lunafreya is merely giving me the opportunity to return to where I _belong_ , as it were.”  
  
“Where you ‘belong’? _Ardyn_ ,” Noct’s voice cracked as he said the Chancellor’s name, overcome with sudden emotion, “The _Accursed_ belonged in Oblivion. The _Accursed_ deserved to be put to rest. But _this person_ , _this Ardyn_ ,” he reached over and jabbed Ardyn in the shoulder, “who is _kind_ and _considerate_ , even if it’s under a layer of sarcasm _so thick_ you gotta dig with a shovel to find it? _That_ Ardyn belongs _here_ , with _us_.”  
  
Ardyn was quiet for a few minutes, the trees speeding by on either side of them. As the silence stretched on, Noct became genuinely concerned he might have offended him. When Ardyn spoke again, his voice was heavy.  
  
“Kind and considerate, hm? I’ve not heard those words used to describe me in quite some time.” He gave Noct a half-grin. “You and Lunafreya have both given me much to consider. ‘Tis a difficult decision -- one I assure you I shall not make lightly. Second chances _rarely_ become thirds, after all.”  
  
“Alright. At least I know this trip to the tomb isn’t a suicide mission, since we’re already in the Beyond.” Noct thought about it a moment, then jerked forward in his seat. “It...it _isn’t_ a suicide mission, is it? I don’t know what the details of your deal with Luna are...”  
  
“Goodness, Noct!” Ardyn laughed out loud. “Have you no faith in me at all? I simply wish to _see_ the tomb -- I don’t know what I would do there that would possibly _endanger_ either of us. You know what the Tombs are like: dusty effigies, perhaps an Oracle Ascension Coin or two left in offering, a Royal Arm if you’re fortunate. Honestly, since there are no beasts here in the Beyond, it should be even _less_ dangerous.”

He knew Ardyn was right. In all his time spent fishing out in the wild, he’d never once run across a single creature aside from Umbra, the day he’d lead Ardyn into their lives. Noct relaxed back into his seat, letting the warm sun on his face and the wind in his hair rock him to sleep.

\-----------------------------

Later, Noctis would look back on that moment, driving with Ardyn in the Dear Old Thing, the Disc of Cauthess receding in the rearview and the forests of Duscae yet on the horizon, and he would understand _exactly_ what people meant by the phrase _famous last words_.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all as always for reading, and for your comments, kudos, fanworks(!!!) and love -- y'all keep me going. :) We are edging closer to the end -- I'm putting things together for the upcoming chapters and am _very_ excited about how it's looking...
> 
> There is a brief description of mild injury/medical trauma in this chapter, consistent with the M rating. Just giving a heads up for those who might need it!

Gladio had told the guys all about his Trial, when he’d returned with his Genji Blade and his new scar. He regaled them with the tale of how he and Cor had fought tooth and nail through a horde of beasts and the reanimated spirits of felled Lucian soldiers, detailed how he had bested each test Gilgamesh set in his path with nothing but his sword and some stone columns. And it all led up to the Blademaster himself: half-man, half-magic, glowing red eyes behind a silver mask.  
  
The one thing Gladio seemed to have missed in the telling, though, was the sheer _depth_ of the Taelpar Crag gorge. Noct and Ardyn had been working their way down tunnels lined with the occasional skeleton en route to the bottom for what seemed like at least an hour, yet it felt like they’d barely made any progress at all.  
  
Noct looked up, back the way they came. “So uh...do you have any idea where the tomb is?”  
  
“Haven’t the faintest,” Ardyn replied, pushing a skeletal leg out of the path. “I was simply going to keep looking until I found it. It isn’t as though we’re exactly _lacking for time_ these days, hmm?”  
  
“Can’t argue with that,” Noct shrugged. “I just thought...well, you were twins, right? I always thought twins were supposed to know each other better than anyone. I figured maybe you’d get here and just, I dunno, _know_ something.”  
  
Ardyn burst into laughter. “I’m afraid being a twin is _far_ less _mystical_ than you’d hoped, Noctis. Mostly Izunia and I did what the majority of other siblings do: fought constantly, turned positively _everything_ into a competition, and aggravated our parents to their wit’s end.”  
  
“Everything was a competition, huh?” Noct stopped in place. He smirked when Ardyn turned to look at him curiously. “I’ll race you to the bottom.”  
  
Noct didn’t even wait for Ardyn to accept before starting to sprint off ahead of him, into the dark. It felt kind of good to run, to stretch his legs -- if he didn’t think too hard, he might almost believe he was _alive_. He ran through chambers cavernous and compact, past striking stalactites and pools of clear water. Noct stopped only long enough to hear the echo of Ardyn’s boots somewhere behind him. For once, they were on equal ground here, and even if it was silly, Noct wasn’t about to let Ardyn take the lead.  
  
He felt a cool breeze tickle his cheeks and knew he must be getting close to an opening of some sort. A dim light at the end of the passage grew closer, brighter. Noct kept running --  
  
\-- and made a _very_ unkingly sound as he lost his footing and slid out of the tunnel on his stomach and towards the ground below, grasping unsuccessfully for the cliff-face as he fell. Instinctively, Noct reached out to throw something, _anything_ at the ground, to warp himself closer and soften the blow of hitting the floor. But of course, nothing came to his call. _Shit_. He did his best to tuck and roll and landed with a _whump_ , a cloud of dust rising up from beneath him.  
  
There was no dying again in the Afterlife, but _Bahamut’s balls..._ between mortification and the sharp, blooming pain in his back, Noct almost _wished_ he _could_. He’d landed partly on his shoulder, and it _throbbed_ angrily. Noct shook his head, taking a moment to reorient himself -- and to gather up the shards of his dignity.  
  
There was no way he was waiting for Ardyn to help him up. He pushed himself into a sitting position, though putting weight on his arm made him wince, and then maneuvered, one-armed, into a kneel. From there, he was able to stand without hurting his shoulder further. Brushing himself off, Noct took stock of his surroundings.  
  
The area he’d landed in was expansive, especially compared to the cramped passages he’d been wandering through previously. Massive geological structures jutted from the walls and hung over Noct like the talons of a great petrified beast. It seemed he’d found the bottom of the gorge, that was for sure. As he looked up, the walls of the canyon seemed to stretch for some unknowable distance -- it was a wonder any light from the sky was reaching him at all.  
  
Turning around to face the opposite cliff wall, he realized that the light was no wonder -- it was _torches_. Two parallel lines of torches, lining what looked like a passageway.  
  
But...how could they be lit? They’d never come across signs of life anywhere else they’d been before. Not in Insomnia (aside from themselves), not in Lestallum, not in Tenebrae…  
  
Noct held his injured arm close as a chill ran up his spine. He’d already reached the bottom of Taelpar Crag, which meant he’d won the race. So maybe he’d just...wait for Ardyn here.  
  
Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long before a cheeky voice called out to him from above.  
  
“My, my, Your Majesty! It would seem I’ve been bested.” Ardyn was squatting in the space where Noct had slipped. “You realize we didn’t discuss the terms of the competition, Noct. Is there a prize for the winner? A punishment for the loser? Hmm?”  
  
Noct looked up, then back towards the passageway, “Hey, we can talk about that later -- just...get down here, okay? There’s...I think someone’s _here_.”  
  
Ardyn frowned. Not that they had any real idea of the rules governing the Beyond, but all the same, chances were that if someone was _lurking_ in Taelpar Crag, they were probably not a friend. He sat down and shimmied out of the tunnel, carefully descending the cliff-face by dropping himself from the ledges until he reached the ground.  
  
Noct, still holding one arm close to his chest, pointed forward with the other as Ardyn approached him. Rather than direct his gaze to where Noctis was pointing, Ardyn cocked his head, watching the way Noct was holding his body, looking knowingly at his arm.  
  
“You’ve injured yourself,” he said matter-of-factly.  
  
Noctis pouted. “I forgot I can’t _warp_ anymore.”  
  
Ardyn sighed, putting his hands on his hips. “Well, let me see it, then.”  
  
Noct nodded, uncurling slightly as Ardyn came closer. He inhaled sharply when the Chancellor began to poke and prod at his upper arm, and groaned loudly when Ardyn found the tender spot on his shoulder.  
  
“I have good news, dear Noct! You haven’t broken anything,” Ardyn reported cheerfully.  
  
“I get the feeling there’s a ‘but’ coming up in a second here.”  
  
“But...I’m afraid the _bad_ news is that you’ve partially dislocated your shoulder. We shall need to put it back into place.”  
  
Noct made a noise of consternation. “I know we regenerate quickly here, but it really _sucks_ that we can still _get hurt_ in the first place.”  
  
Ardyn laughed. “Take it as a good sign -- it means you are _still human_. Now give me your hand and hold still.”  
  
Never before had Noct wished so fervently for an Elixir, but without the power of his bloodline, the drinks were just _drinks_. It would have been useless to create one. Without warning, Ardyn performed some sort of _magic maneuver_ , and Noctis howled as his joint popped back into its proper place.  
  
“There we are. Now then, you’ll need a support until your arm heals up,” said Ardyn. He reached behind his neck and unwound his orange scarf. He wrapped it around Noct’s shoulder, arm, and neck, fashioning it into a makeshift sling.  
  
Noct had to admit, Ardyn had done the trick -- it felt almost immediately better. The sharp pain was gone. Now it was just sore, and _swollen_. And there was nothing he could do for that but wait for the regeneration to happen.  
  
“So,” Ardyn cleared his throat, “I take it the _torchlit passageway_ is what’s set you on edge?”  
  
“I’ve never seen fires anywhere before,” said Noct. “Even when we’ve visited inhabited places like Lestallum or Hammerhead, we’ve still had to turn on the lights and stuff ourselves.”  
  
“Then it follows that someone must have lit these torches. Could it have been one of our Astral interlopers?”  
  
Noct shrugged carefully, trying not to disturb his shoulder. “I guess it could’ve been. But...this was already lit when I fell down here. So that would mean they would have known we’d find it?”  
  
“Or led us to it.” Ardyn shrugged back at him.  
  
Noct groaned. “This makes my head hurt. Should we just...see what’s at the other end?”  
  
“I wouldn’t _dream_ of walking away now -- I’m _much_ too curious. Shall we?” Ardyn gave Noctis a gentlemanly half-bow, inviting him to take the lead.  
  
  
\-----------------------------  
  
  
Invisible to the two men, the Astral Interlopers stood on a stone outcropping above. They watched as Noctis and Ardyn disappeared into the tunnel below, their faces reflecting the dappled light of the torches.  
  
“It would all be much simpler had we indeed been the ones to light the flames,” said Gentiana.  
  
The Draconian scoffed, “You’re sentimental as always. _Human drama_ is none of our concern.”  
  
Gentiana frowned slightly but said nothing, quiet as snow falling in the dead of night.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many apologies for the hiatus -- part of it was because my time got taken up writing entries for [Ardynoct Week](http://archiveofourown.org/series/840384), and then part of it was because I subsequently got completely burned out due to various life stresses and just needed to rest.
> 
> Another part of it was because I struggled a lot to fit my headcanons in with some of the new canon information that was coming out re: Solheim, Ifrit, the Astral War, etc. -- so uh, I did my best, but I'm also now from here on out throwing my hands up, saying "fuck it," and tossing a Canon Divergent tag on the fic, hahaha.
> 
> As always, thank you so much to those of you who have kept on reading despite my completely irregular updates. You mean the world to me. :) ♥

_Pray, have you ever heard tell of the twins of House Lucis? Like oil and water, those two -- never were there two brothers so different, so fundamentally opposed as they, and perhaps never shall there be again, the Gods be good.  
  
_ _And yet, despite those differences, they were bound by blood -- and by Fate -- and naught could part them.  
  
_ _In an age long past, when the Six walked among Humankind, and shared Their Gifts with the people of Eos, the Kingdom of Solheim was ruled by Ifrit, the Pyreburner, who had brought great knowledge to the world. His subjects built such wonders as had never been seen before -- ships that traveled through the sky, carts that did not require chocobos to pull them -- and the Kingdom thus flourished under His rule.  
  
_ _But Humankind grew haughty, forgetting that the wonders they had been given had come from the Astrals -- from_ Ifrit Himself _. So came the Great War, and the collapse of civilization. Yet fortunately for our tale, Humans always seem to find a way to recover from even the greatest hardship. Out of the wreckage of Solheim, the survivors of the War began to rebuild their lives. New towns and villages sprung up in the ruins of the old, and new regional governments took dominion over them.  
  
_ _So it came to be that House Lucis, an old noble family of Solheim, very unexpectedly found itself in charge of nearly a thousand people -- which, given how many had perished in the War, and how many were continuing to perish from a mysterious illness that had begun to spread, was quite a lot. But the displaced Solheimers remembered the kindness and generosity of the former Lord Lucis, and seeing as how the options were either that or total anarchy, they asked the present Lord Lucis if he would do them the honor of leading them. In memory of his father, Lord Lucis accepted.  
  
  
_ \-----------------------------  
  
  
 _It was unseasonably warm the day the Lucis twins were born. One with ruddy hair, the spitting image of their mother -- the other raven-black, the shadow of their father. They named the redhead Ardyn. It was a common name for babes with red hair in that age, as it came from the Astraltongue word for “burning” or “blazing.” Prior to the Great War, it was thought the Pyreburner would bless a child so named -- now it was thought to be more like a ward of protection against Him. The dark-haired twin they named Izunia -- unlike “Ardyn,” this was not a common name among Solheimer children. Lord Lucis had heard it from a visiting diplomat. In their language, the diplomat said, the name referred to the abundance of the Gods, and the keeping of Their Covenants. Lord and Lady Lucis talked it over, and decided that since the Six had seen fit to bless their family with an_ abundance _of children all at once, rather than just the usual_ one _child...well,_ Izunia _it was.  
  
_ _On the evening of their birth, the house attendants swaddled the little ones and laid them in their bassinet together, and they took hold of one another’s hands and fell fast asleep. Many years later, their parents would jest that it was the only time they had gotten along smoothly.  
  
_ _Their upbringing was much the same as would have been expected of noble children in Solheim. A tutor was brought in for private lessons in the basic subjects: history, arithmetic, and literature. Their mother, an accomplished poet known throughout the land, taught them a bit of music herself. The house attendants helped with other various lessons as needed -- who didn’t need to know such useful things as how to identify what fruits were in season, or what flowers looked best arranged together?  
  
_ _Though each twin had their favorite subjects -- Ardyn excelled in literature, while Izunia found himself drawn to arithmetic -- they both agreed that their tutor was a_ complete _bore._ So _boring, in fact, that the young Lucis twins set about finding a way to get rid of him --_ for good _.  
  
_ _The morning their tutor was set to arrive, Ardyn and Izunia rose early from their beds, before the sun had even thought to rise. As all children do, they knew the secret tunnels out of the great House. They snuck quietly out and down to the nearby river, a small tin bucket in hand.  
  
_ _“_ I _want to catch the frog,” Ardyn pouted, standing on the bank of the river.  
  
_ _“But it was_ my idea _,” Izunia whined back, bucket in hand.  
  
_ _“Zuzu, you’re_ awful _at frog-catching,” said Ardyn. “We’ll_ never _catch anything if_ you _do it.”  
  
_ _Izunia frowned. “Shut up, Ardy. I’m gonna try.”  
  
_ _Izunia placed the bucket on the riverbank and waded into the water. He bent over, squatting closer to the surface. Pressing his lips together, he concentrated on listening for the trademark croaks of the bullfrogs, waiting for the right moment to strike. Suddenly, the river-water splashed up, soaking him completely. He wiped the water from his eyes and looked up to find his brother across from him, grinning and laughing.  
  
_ _Izunia saw red. He dove for Ardyn, shoving him into the water, and the brothers rolled around in the shallows, fighting for dominance. Finally, Izunia managed to fix Ardyn beneath him, holding his head half under the water, both hands around his throat. Ardyn struggled, flailing, desperately trying to free himself, bucking against his brother -- but Izunia was the stronger of the twins, and there was naught he could do. His vision began to fade...but he thought he heard voices, somewhere far away…thought he saw the shadow of their father leaning over him...felt the weight lift from his chest...  
  
_ _The next thing Ardyn could remember, he was in their parents’ bed, coughing himself awake. His mouth tasted like river -- dank and muddy. And he was_ tired _.  
  
_ _A quiet sniffling brought Ardyn’s attention to the bedside, where he found his twin, sitting in a small chair.  
  
_ _“Zuzu…” Ardyn tried to say, but his voice was very hoarse, and it came out scratchy and weak.  
  
_ _“Ardy--!” Izunia jumped from his chair, wiping tears from his reddened face. “You’re awake!”  
  
_ _Ardyn nodded softly. “What happened?” he rasped.  
  
_ _“Father heard us sneak out and followed us to the river. He got the water out of you.”  
  
_ _“No, Zuzu, I mean...You_ hurt _me.”  
  
_ _Izunia shifted uncomfortably. He averted his eyes. “It was an accident.”  
  
_ _“An_ accident _?” Ardyn was quiet for a moment. “Do you...do you_ hate _me, Izunia? You’re always fighting with me.”  
  
_ _“Of course I don’t hate you!” Izunia frowned. “I’m always fighting with you because_ you’re _always fighting with_ me _! And_ this _started because_ you _started it! I just wanted to catch a frog!”  
  
_ _“I just wanted to_ have fun _with you! I wasn’t_ starting _anything!” Ardyn asserted.  
  
_ _Izunia crossed his arms and sat down in the chair. He purposefully avoided looking at his brother. “Go to sleep, Ardyn. We have lessons tomorrow, since we didn’t get any frogs to put in Master Euleo’s handbag.”  
  
_ _Ardyn rolled over, closed his eyes, and seethed.  
  
  
_ \-----------------------------  
  
  
The passageway was longer than it had appeared from the mouth of it. The torchlight illuminated the tunnel walls and cast long shadows of the two men against the ground as they walked. After a few minutes of conversationless trudging, Noct broke the silence.  
  
“So...did you used to do a lot of, uh, _re-locating_ joints?”  
  
“Oh, _Noct_ \-- I’ve set bones, delivered babies, lanced _fearsome_ boils…” He pulled a face at the last item, but then looked wistfully into the distance.  
  
“It wasn’t anything I had set out to learn -- and _certainly_ nothing I was taught as the _Heir of Lucis_ ,” Ardyn smirked, “but I found in my travels that the Scourge was not the only thing plaguing our subjects. I learned from the local chirurgeons, and did what I could to help. For a time, I even thought perhaps the Healing Arts were my calling. Fate ofttimes thinks itself witty.”  
  
Noct looked down at his arm, at the sling fabricated from the favored scarf of his former nemesis. “Ain’t that the truth,” he laughed wryly.  
  
“Izunia _loathed_ when I would request to stay in a town longer than we were supposed to be there. He felt we were overstaying our welcome -- but the chirurgeons were pleased to share their knowledge with me, and the townspeople were always generous.”  
  
Several gears were turning in Noct’s head. “Wait...Izunia _traveled_ with you?”  
  
“Indeed. As soon as the Crystal bestowed its _blessing_ on me, Izunia declared himself my chaperone. Claimed it was to keep me safe -- he was always the _brawn_ of our duo, you see,” Ardyn patted his own biceps for emphasis. “He mostly succeeded -- or at least, he did for a time. You’re aware of how things turned out.”  
  
Of course Noct was aware...but he also _wasn’t_. Something about Ardyn’s story bothered him. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe it was true -- Ardyn had no reason to lie to him now -- only that he felt he was missing some vital details that would make the whole thing _click_.  
  
After a few twists and turns in the passageway, they could see the end of the tunnel illuminated in the torchlight. As they grew closer, Noctis instantly recognized what they had found, though it seemed to be a very rudimentary, almost __primitive version of the ones he had seen before: A stone and metal door, blazoned with a stylized wrought-iron insignia, flanked by elaborate stone carvings and two massive stone columns.  
  
“Ah, it would appear we’ve found the tomb,” said Ardyn, far too nonchalantly for the given situation. “Come along then, Noct -- it’s time for the family reunion.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, friends: Chapter 20. And we're still going! And we broke 250 kudos! And are nearly to 400 comments! I am just completely floored, and utterly humbled by all the love for this fic. Thank you all for sticking with me through twenty chapters and 30k+ words. We're closing in on the end, though I'm still not sure how many more chapters it will be...
> 
> This is a long one. I suggest grabbing a mug of your favorite warm beverage and settling in.

_“I’m going out!” Ardyn called up the grand staircase. “Don’t wait up for me.”  
  
_ _His mother appeared, a brocade robe draped around her. She leaned against the upstairs banister and sighed, locks of wavy red hair framing her face as she looked down at her son.  
  
_ _“Ardyn, really, if you must go out at this time of night -- do take your brother along, won’t you? He needs the company, and your father and I worry less about your safety when the two of you are together.”  
  
_ _Ardyn frowned. Astrals above -- what was he, twelve? He was a grown man of twenty, the Heir of Lucis, and still his parents would have him drag Izunia to the tavern with him like he needed supervision. They probably wanted him to report back whatever_ improprieties _Ardyn was getting up to in the evenings -- Izunia didn’t even drink, the absolute_ prude _, so what was the point of sending him with Ardyn otherwise?  
  
_ _But for all his irritation at the thought of babysitting his brother, he loved his mother dearly -- and he would walk to the ends of Eos for her if it would make her happy.  
  
_ _“Of course, Mother. I’ll go find him and see if he will accompany me this evening.”  
  
_ _“Wonderful! Oh, he’ll be so pleased to join you, I’m sure.” Her radiant smile gave her face a warm glow in the dim evening light. “I hope you have a lovely time, my son. Don’t stay out too late.”  
  
_ _Ardyn bowed courteously to his mother, and left the grand hall to search for Izunia.  
  
_ _It didn’t take him long to find his brother. If Izunia was home, he would be in one of three places: asleep in his bed, working himself to the bone at the training hall, or grooming the chocobos in the house stable. This time Izunia was among the birds, running a soft brush over the crest feathers of his indigo-black courser, its feathers the hue of the iridescent night sky, each brushstroke making them gleam like the twinkling of stars.  
  
_ _“Be careful, Brother -- a chocobo so beautiful as that, you’ll give him a complex if you keep paying him so much attention,” said Ardyn, leaning against the door with a grin.  
  
_ _Izunia didn’t look up. He continued brushing. “You don’t say. A shame then, that Mother and Father already gave him all the attention he ever needed and more. If I ignore him, do you think he’ll just…go away?”  
  
_ _Ardyn’s grin faded. “Are we still talking about the chocobo?”  
  
_ _Izunia placed his brush on a nearby shelf and huffed out a breath, raising his icy blue eyes. “What can I do for you, Brother?”  
  
_ _“Well, it’s a beautiful evening, and I thought I might take a walk down to the tavern for a round. But of course, it’s no fun going alone…”  
  
_ _“Ardyn, you’re_ never _alone at the tavern -- they know you_ by name _. Besides, it’s the same thing every time we do this: you drink, I don’t, someone starts something, I come to your defense, and we both end up embarrassed in the morning. I won’t do it again, Brother. You’re on your own.”  
  
_ _“I only came to ask because Mother wished me to,” Ardyn snapped, his brows furrowed. “I couldn’t give one whit if you came along or not -- I’m going either way. Bahamut’s balls, Izunia -- your self-righteousness is_ tiresome _.”  
  
_ _Izunia clenched his fists as he watched Ardyn’s back recede into the distance. He took five deep, carefully-measured breaths, picked his brush back up off of the shelf, and went back to work. His chocobo cooed quietly to him, nuzzling his beak against his prince’s face.  
  
  
_ _\-----------------------------  
  
  
_ _Izunia couldn’t tell exactly what was going on -- only that he was surrounded by pitch black as far as he could see. A sense of deep dread filled the pit of his stomach. Nothing good would happen here, he could feel it.  
  
_ _A clawing sound was coming from the ground beneath his feet. Izunia’s heart began to race as he moved back slowly. The ground stretched like a skin, and a hand could be seen trying to break through. The hand clawed and scraped until it ripped through the membrane, spilling a dark, oily liquid at Izunia’s feet. He watched in horror as the hand grasped for purchase at the edge of the hole it had made and pulled itself up. A face emerged, coated in the slick black oil.  
  
_ _“Brother,” the face croaked in a familiar voice as it reached for Izunia with its other hand. “Please…You have to help me…”  
  
_ _Izunia tried to run, but he was frozen to the spot. He looked down. The black oil was creeping up his own legs, climbing higher and higher, now it was lashing his wrists to the ground, sliding up his neck and into his mouth -- he was gagging, choking…  
  
  
_ _\-----------------------------  
  
  
_ _Izunia awoke with a start to find his face full of black feathers -- no wonder he’d had such a bizarre dream. He’d fallen asleep in the stables again, and his chocobo had taken the liberty of curling up next to him. He gave the courser a few loving scritches in thanks.  
  
_ _Standing and stretching, touching his fingertips to his toes, he tried to shake the odd sense he’d had in the dream that something wasn’t right, but he felt it hanging over him like a fog. Was it something to do with Ardyn? Surely not -- it wasn’t as though being twins gave them a bond any different from regular siblings. If anything, Izunia and Ardyn were_ less _bonded than most regular siblings.  
  
_ _But if anything were to happen to him…  
  
_ _Izunia swallowed the lump in his throat. He looked around the room and gathered up a few items, holstered his longsword into its baldric, pat his chocobo on the head, then set off into town, the moonlight glinting off of the long, thick plait of his raven-black hair.  
  
  
_ _\-----------------------------  
  
  
_ _The air in the tavern was thick with haze, and the moment Izunia stepped in he recalled again why he never came here. Everything was too bright, too loud, too_ everything _\-- every part of him screamed to retreat, to run back to the stables and seek refuge among the birds. They smelled, to be sure, but at least they understood the beauty of_ silence _.  
  
_ _Ardyn was settled in his usual spot: a cozy back corner table, its seats lined with plump, overstuffed cushions. Izunia was wholly unsurprised to find his brother sandwiched between two other people. He was comfortably leaned back into the chest of another man, who was sitting with his back against the corner wall and his arms draped lazily around Ardyn’s shoulders. Simultaneously, a woman dozed lightly in Ardyn’s lap, her head resting on her hands atop his thigh. As Ardyn turned to pick up his wine glass, he noticed Izunia standing on the opposite side of the table and jumped slightly, startled. He gently extricated himself from the various limbs of his companions, who groaned in complaint.  
  
_ _“Ah! Brother dearest, this is truly a surprise. How nice of you to join us,” Ardyn smiled broadly, though his eyes were narrowed with suspicion, “_ especially _after you declined my invitation earlier. Why the change of heart, if I may ask?”  
  
_ _Izunia fumed. Of course his brother was fine. Why wouldn’t he be? “It was nothing. I was foolish to come.”  
  
_ _“Nonsense! You’re already here -- you may as well stay. Come, let’s get you something to drink that’s more to your tastes, shall we?”  
  
_ _Ardyn reached out to take Izunia’s hand. As their fingers touched, Izunia’s heart skipped a beat. In his mind’s eye, he saw pitch blackness all around him, and that same hand, bursting through the ground, pulling itself forward… His brother, covered in the darkness…  
  
_ _Izunia pulled his hand back sharply. Ardyn blinked, a concerned expression on his face. “Izunia, what’s wrong?”  
  
_ _He was about to explain, to tell Ardyn what he’d seen in his dream, when the tavern door exploded off of its hinges into the room, splinters of wood flying in all directions. The barkeep ducked behind the counter, while the patrons hid beneath tables and around corners, waiting to see who -- or_ what _\-- had caused such damage.  
  
_ _They didn’t have to wait long. A pair of tall, winged, blue-skinned, human-like_ things _danced through the doorway on long-clawed feet. They waved their tails and taloned hands and shrieked bloody murder at the terrified tavern patrons, gnashing teeth and trying to grab for the ones under tables. Some fought back, kicking and screaming -- the barkeep herself threw empty bottles at the creatures, anything to get them away.  
  
_ _The twins had run around the side of the bar when the door had been busted in and now, hearing the chaos, they looked at one another.  
  
_ _“What on Eos_ are _those…?” Ardyn wondered aloud.  
  
_ _Izunia reached back to unfasten his sword, but his brother stayed his hand.  
  
_ _“Are you joking? There’s no room to swing that big thing in here. Mine’s over there,” Ardyn nodded to his cape, balled up on the bench in the cozy corner. “Cover me!”  
  
_ _He ran for it before his brother could respond, leaving Izunia wide-eyed. He scrambled to get to his feet and followed after Ardyn, fists up, ready for a fight. One of the blue-skinned creatures, distracted by their quick movements, turned to look their way. Its mouth, too full of sharp teeth, dripped with a viscous slime. In a flash it pounced, and Izunia braced himself to give it a full left hook --  
  
_ _\-- but it fell back, a crossbow bolt to its face taking it off of its feet and onto the ground, stunning it. Ardyn came up beside his brother, reloading his beloved weapon.  
  
_ _“You’ll shoot your eye out with that, one of these days,” Izunia sneered.  
  
_ _“Let’s just hope I shoot one of theirs out first.” Ardyn leveled the crossbow at the other creature, which was chasing patrons around the tavern. He missed its head, just grazing its shoulder -- but the hit certainly got its attention, and the blue-skinned horror came shrieking towards them.  
  
_ _“Run!” Izunia yelled. “Let’s get them out of the tavern!”  
  
_ _Leaving his cape on the bench, Ardyn began high-tailing it to the door, crossbow in hand. Izunia was hot on his heels, and the monsters close behind them, howling and whining. Ardyn ducked down a side street, trying to get them to a better fighting ground, then came to a halt, cursing loudly when he realized he had instead led them to a dead end. The creatures levitated slightly before them, growling, so close they could smell the rot on their breath. Ardyn raised his crossbow, praying his aim would be true.  
  
_ _Then he pulled the trigger, and everything went black.  
  
_ _For a long time, Ardyn felt like he was falling. Like the ground had simply ceased to exist, and he was just falling, forever, into the vast emptiness of the negative space of the world.  
  
_ _A voice called his name. He didn’t want to answer it.  
  
_ Ardyn Lucis Caelum _, the voice intoned.  
  
_ _“What? What is it? What do you want from me?”  
  
_ _He just wanted to stop falling, to find the ground again, to go back to his friends, his tavern, his…his family.  
  
_ _His family. Oh gods,_ Izunia _. He had to get back to his brother, he was in_ danger _\--  
  
_ _Ardyn found the ground. His feet settled somewhere solid, and he cautiously stood up. He realized that he’d had his eyes closed, so he slowly opened them, curious where he had ended up.  
  
_ _He almost fell over. Surely he’d just had one too many at the tavern. What he was seeing couldn’t possibly be real -- could it?  
  
_ _The sky wasn’t sky, but the shimmering pattern of a prism, and the ground he found himself standing on was not ground at all, but a massive hand, attached to the massive arm of a massive, armored figure. He knew exactly who this figure was -- it had only been one generation since the Astral War, and the wounds were still fresh, the players still familiar.  
  
_ _“You’re…you’re the Draconian. You’re Bahamut,” Ardyn managed to say, awestruck.  
  
_ I am. _Bahamut’s mouth did not move, but his words echoed as though he was speaking aloud._ Ardyn Lucis Caelum, Heir of House Lucis, I bring you here to tell you of your Destiny.  
  
 _“My_ destiny _? My brother is in trouble, and you want to speak to me of destiny? With all due respect, could we perhaps do this at a later date?” Ardyn walked to the edge of Bahamut’s hand, searching for a way down.  
  
_ Fear not, Son of Lucis. Time has no hold here, inside the Crystal. You will be returned to the moment you left, and you may yet assist your brother. _Bahamut slowly moved his hand closer, as though getting a better look at Ardyn.  
  
_ _“Okay. Alright. Speak to me of_ destiny _, then.”  
  
_ As you wish. _He could swear the Draconian chuckled._ I am certain you have heard of the plague that has swept Eos since the War. In its first stages, it makes humans and other creatures sickly and weak. In its later stages, they are killed by it. And after death, they return to the world as abominations, daemons, such as those you encountered this eve.  
  
 _Ardyn held up a hand. “I’m sorry -- are you telling me that the winged, clawed, fanged_ monsters _that smashed in the door of the tavern tonight…those were once_ people _? Or other beasts?”  
  
_ Yes. _the Draconian answered simply.  
  
_ _Suddenly, Ardyn felt dizzy. He sat down in the Astral’s palm and put his head in his hands. He shot that thing with his crossbow. He shot at something that might have been a person. Might have been one of his townspeople.  
  
_ Do not fret, Son of Lucis. There is another way to defeat daemons. And to prevent their birth into this world at all.  
  
 _Ardyn looked up at the Draconian. His voice cracked as he asked, “How?”  
  
_ You are Chosen, Ardyn Lucis Caelum. You are Chosen to bear the Blessing of the Crystal, and to use its power to heal your people. Travel the land and bring succor to them. And when you have finished your task, you will ascend the throne as the First King of Lucis. This is your Destiny.  
  
 _“Begging your Astral pardon, Draconian, but that is…quite a bit to take in. I don’t know the first thing about healing people. And what’s this about being king? I know I’m my father’s successor and all, but our holdings are not so large -- it is certainly no kingdom--”  
  
_ You are Chosen, Son of Lucis. Bear the Light of the Crystal and heal those in need. Your journey begins now…  
  
 _Bahamut let his hand drop away, and Ardyn began to fall again. The Draconian cupped both hands just beneath him, and a bright, warm light enveloped him. It gave him the feeling of coming home on a summer day. He felt both energized and comforted by it, like the support of a trusted confidante.  
  
_ _He blinked a few times as the light began to fade, and he realized that he was back in the dead end alley with Izunia, who was shaking his shoulder and yelling.  
  
_ _“Ardyn! What in Ifrit’s Hellfire are you doing? We can’t just stand here!”  
  
_ _Ardyn looked down at his hands. They didn’t look any different at all -- but he could_ feel _the power of the Crystal in his veins. He turned to his twin and smiled.  
  
_ _“Oh, Izunia. That’s where you’re wrong. We can indeed just stand here, though I don’t think you’ll like it when I show you why.”  
  
_ _Ardyn holstered his crossbow and stood in front of his twin, letting the daemons come to him. As they approached, he grabbed each by the closest appendage -- one by a wrist and another by its flailing tail -- and concentrated. His hands glowed as the power of the Crystal moved through him, purifying the daemons. They wailed and lashed out at him, but grew weaker by the second, shrinking and shriveling until they disappeared into a puff of black mist.  
  
_ _The Chosen Healer stood up straight, catching his breath. Behind him, his twin brother stared, speechless.  
  
  
_ _\-----------------------------  
  
  
_ _The twins went to the riverbank, to the spot where they always came when they needed to speak alone, and sat side by side in the night. Although he almost never drank alcohol, Izunia graciously accepted the flask Ardyn offered, taking a deep draft before passing it back (and never once wondering where the flask had even come from).  
  
_ _“It was the damndest thing, Ardyn,” said Izunia. “One moment you were aiming your crossbow, and then it was like your lights had gone out. Then I started shaking you, and all of a sudden you came back to your senses. You took hold of the things, your hands started glowing, and then they just…” He mimed the daemons poofing into thin air.  
  
_ _“Amazing, isn’t it?” Ardyn mused.  
  
_ _“I was going to say terrifying, but sure, amazing.” Izunia sighed. “So what happened?”  
  
_ _“The Draconian spoke to me. Apparently, I’ve been Chosen to use the Crystal’s Light to banish the plague. I’m supposed to travel the realm healing people.”  
  
_ _Izunia was quiet for a moment, and then he burst into laughter. “Forgive me, it’s just -- truly? Bahamut Himself told you, Ardyn Lucis Caelum, that you’ve been personally selected for this…I don’t know,_ Divine Quest _?”  
  
_ _“That’s the long and short of it.” He took a swig from the flask. “Oh, and He said something about getting to be the King of Lucis once I'm done.”  
  
_ _Izunia raised an eyebrow. “King of Lucis? Okay, I was willing to believe the bit about the Crystal because I saw what you did to those monsters. Don’t push your luck.”  
  
_ _The twins lapsed into silence for a time, passing the flask back and forth between them, listening to the rushing river and the chirping crickets.  
  
_ _Izunia looked up at the stars and wondered why it seemed that despite everything he did to lead the best, most virtuous life he could, at the end of the day everyone always chose Ardyn -- charming, charismatic Ardyn -- over him. Father had, Mother had, even the bloody_ Astrals _had. What was wrong with him, that no one ever wanted him for anything?  
  
_ _He remembered the dream he’d had, of Ardyn consumed by the black oil, of it spreading to him, trying to consume him too. He wondered what it all meant.  
  
_ _Maybe, if he went with Ardyn on his travels, he could find someone, somewhere who could tell him what was wrong with him. And maybe they could tell him what that dream meant, too.  
  
_ _“Ardyn,” Izunia ventured.  
  
_ _“Hm?” his brother answered. It seemed he’d half fallen asleep on the riverbank.  
  
_ _“I’d like to come with you. On your quest.”  
  
_ _Ardyn came to attention. “Izunia? Are you running a fever, or am I still having visions? I could have sworn you just said you would like to accompany me.”  
  
_ _“I did.”  
  
_ _“Brother, I know this has been a very strange night, but need I remind you that generally speaking, you and I get along about as well as oil and water?”  
  
_ _“I know, and I doubt that will change anytime soon.” Izunia looked over at his twin. “But that doesn’t make you any less my brother. And if you’re the only one with this power, you may be targeted by people who would use you for their own ends.”  
  
_ _Ardyn rubbed his chin. “You make a good point.”  
  
_ _“Then I will come with you. You need someone to guard you -- someone to be your shield. It may as well be me.”  
  
  
_ __\-----------------------------  
  
  
Conscious of Noct’s injured arm, Ardyn took it upon himself to push open the tomb door. It was heavy, and came open with a gritty creaking, the mechanisms clearly full of many centuries of sediment. He attempted to politely usher Noctis in first, but Noct would have none of it.  
  
“You’re next of kin -- you should be first,” said Noct, justifying it more to himself than anything else.  
  
In the end, they entered the room together, the doorway being wide enough to accommodate them both, and found a chamber much larger than the hallway leading up to it suggested it would be. Sloping walls led the eye down to the center of the room, where the usual statue lay beneath a skylight cut into the rock ceiling many feet above to allow the light from outside to penetrate in a perfect rectangle over it. Unfortunately, along with the light from outside also came other elements, and the features of the statue had been almost completely eroded away.  
  
Ardyn stood silently beside the featureless statue, and Noctis beside him, uncertain what to say. He’d hoped he might get to see what Izunia had looked like, at least, but it seemed now he’d never really know. Ardyn reached out to put a hand to where the face would have been, to trace where his brother’s cheek would be.  
  
“It is taking absolutely every last drop of my willpower at this moment not to smash this thing into a pile of rubble,” Ardyn muttered evenly, though Noct could feel the anger behind his words.  
  
“Is there any reason why you couldn’t?” Noct asked. “I mean…does it really matter anymore? What we do here won’t affect the Living World. And it's not like anyone else who comes to this plane is gonna make the trek all the way out here…”  
  
Ardyn crossed his arms, smirking. “I like the way you think, Your Majesty. But on brief inspection of our surroundings, it appears we lack implements with which to do the deed.”  
  
It was Noct’s turn to smirk. “I’ve got this.”  
  
Turning around to an open space and putting out his good hand, Noct shut his eyes and concentrated on the floor. After a few moments, a hefty sledgehammer popped into existence. Chuckling, Ardyn walked over to pick it up, hauling it over his shoulder. He gestured for Noctis to get out of the way, and Noct scooted back into a corner of the room, far from any potential flying debris.  
  
Ardyn moved to stand before the statue of Izunia Lucis Caelum, his twin brother, and swung the sledgehammer over his head, preparing to destroy the monument to his betrayer. He brought the hammer down --  
  
\-- and a hand caught it. The reverberation from the impact sent vibrations down Ardyn’s spine, but they weren't nearly as strong as the chills he got when he saw the owner of the hand that had stopped the hammer's swing. An older, dark-haired man sat atop the statue with one leg dangling off the side and the other tucked under himself, gripping the hammer tightly in midair. Just the sight of the man made the hair on the back of Ardyn’s neck stand completely on end, like a cat bristling.  
  
“Astrals above -- now there is a face I haven't seen in some time,” the man said -- whether unkindly or not, Noct couldn't be sure. “You know, Ardyn, despite everything that happened between us, I always felt we’d be reunited in the Beyond someday -- and here we are. It's good to see you, Brother.” He smiled, his icy blue eyes sparkling in the shining light from above, and Ardyn knew his journey had reached its end.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hey folks, here is our first Post-Episode-Ignis Chapter! How's everyone doing! I for one died when the thing happened in the Extra Verse that confirmed that precisely ONE THING I speculated about in this fic is canon, haha! (Not specifying for those of you who haven't played it yet, but those of you who have I'm sure know exactly WHICH THING it is. :3)
> 
> I have the rest of the fic outlined and ready to be written -- I don't know if I'll be able to do it by New Year's (which was my goal), but I'm going to get as far as I can. In case this ends up being my last update of the year: Thank you all for a wonderful 2017 -- your support has meant so much to me! ♥

Noctis felt like he was looking into a mirror reflecting some bizarre alternate reality, one where he’d let his hair grow out for _another_ ten years (and let Luna braid it), and where the Foundation-era fashion of pleats and layers was all the rage. The man sitting on the ancient sarcophagus was certainly older than Noct -- the small crow’s feet at the edges of his eyes, the gray in his braid, and other such giveaways were telling -- but the resemblance was so uncanny, it made the hair on the back of Noct’s neck stand on end.  
  
The fact that the man had appeared out of thin air and caught a hefty sledgehammer with a single bare hand might have also been what was making Noct feel uneasy -- and then, as if all that weren’t enough, the man had called Ardyn _brother_ …  
  
But it _couldn’t be_ …could it?  
  
In his shock, Noct shifted back slightly, dislodging some pebbles and scraping them against the sand beneath his feet. The silence broken, the man looked up. Seeing Noct for the first time, the corner of his mouth tugged up into a familiar smirk -- the same one Noctis had seen on Ardyn’s face more than enough in his life.  
  
“Interesting,” said the smirking man, still holding Ardyn and the hammer in place. “I was having tea in my palace in the Beyond when suddenly, I found myself here. I waited and waited, and then -- of course! -- _you_ showed up.” He looked to Noctis, then scoffed as he returned his gaze to Ardyn. “And I see you gained a new friend since we last met.”  
  
Ardyn strained against the hammer, a stricken, pained expression on his face. He tried to make the strike connect, but the man overpowered him, seizing the hammer from him and tossing it aside like chaff. Ardyn moved to block him, grabbing at the man’s pleated shirt, but the man shoved him out of the way. Ardyn hit the ground with a _whumph_ , smacking the back of his head against a jagged outcropping. A cloud of dust rose into the air around him.  
  
Noct immediately started to head for Ardyn but the man intercepted him, keeping him from assisting. The man’s long black braid swung to and fro as he moved with his head held high and his hands clasped behind his back, walking with a smooth, graceful gait. Aside from being visibly well-muscled beneath the layers of his clothes, he didn’t _look_ particularly intimidating. If Noct hadn’t just watched the guy nearly knock Ardyn out, he may not have even thought twice about him. In fact, the man appeared...well, pretty _regal_ , Noct thought.  
  
He stopped a few feet before Noctis, whose heart was fluttering with anxiety. “I am Izunia Lucis Caelum, Founder of the Kingdom of Lucis. And who might you be?” He held out his hand.  
  
 _Gods, so it really_ was _him_. Noct swallowed nervously, shaking his hand after a moment’s hesitation. His handshake was firm -- as to be expected of a king. “Noctis. Noctis Lucis Caelum. Hundred and fourteenth King of Lucis.”  
  
The man’s smirk became a reserved smile. “I _thought_ you looked familiar -- must be the family resemblance.” He paused. “If my brother is here, then it’s finally over, yes? And you must be the heralded _King of Kings_. The last of the Lucis Caelum line -- _my_ line.”  
  
“Yeah,” Noct nodded.  
  
Izunia returned the nod. “I thank you for your sacrifice. For your _sacrifices_. I'm sure there were many, along the way.”  
  
Noctis froze, his chest tightening. He could feel his eyes stinging slightly and steeled himself. This was a man _Ardyn_ was wary of -- showing any sign of weakness might--  
  
\--might what? Get him killed _again_? Noct wondered idly how long it would take for him to stop thinking like a _living_ person.  
  
“Ah.” Izunia bent down to get a look at Noct’s face, which had reddened as he tried to keep it together. “Did I upset you?”  
  
“N-no,” he stammered. “I just...It was a long road.”  
  
“Yes.” Izunia said distantly. “A long road for us all.”  
  
“Leave him _be_ , Izunia,” Ardyn growled, holding the back of his head with one hand and looking about the room disorientedly. “It’s me you want. It has _always_ been me. Let us cut to the chase and save everyone the trouble.”  
  
Izunia didn’t even bother to look at Ardyn. “You can count on my brother to make _everything_ about him at all times,” he laughed softly. “I imagine _that_ hasn’t changed in the length of time that has passed.”  
  
Noctis shrugged his uninjured shoulder. “Ardyn’s been doing just fine here -- even made me this sling out of his own scarf when I busted my arm.” He wiggled the fingers of his slung arm with some difficulty. “He told me about training with the chirurgeons. About your travels together.”  
  
“Oh, _did he_ now?” Izunia narrowed his eyes. “Sounds like he told you quite a bit. Did he tell you about the time we delivered a child?”  
  
“Sure did,” Noct answered. Izunia didn’t need to know that the amount of detail Noct had heard about it was minimal -- he figured the fact that he technically _wasn’t lying_ was enough.  
  
“And that _disgusting_ boil?”  
  
“Yep, heard about that too.”  
  
“I nearly emptied my entire stomach that night,” Izunia reminisced. His braid swung around like a thick vine as he turned to look at his brother. “You gave him the tour of our adventure, didn’t you, Brother?”  
  
He moved swiftly back to Ardyn, who was regaining some sense of clear-headedness -- but gaining it too slowly to help himself. Izunia put one foot to Ardyn’s chest and pressed him back into the wall. “But I wonder, Ardyn -- while you were telling him about your good deeds, did you also tell him _what happened to Mother_?”  
  
That was enough to snap Ardyn fully back to attention. He grabbed hold of Izunia’s ankle, pushing and twisting, frantically attempting to dislodge the leathery boot.  
  
“Ardyn, what’s he talking about?” Noctis asked cautiously, moving closer.  
  
Izunia laughed -- a cruel, high laugh that sent a chill up Noct’s spine. “I’ll take that as a _no_.”  
  
“ _Don’t do this_ , _Izunia_ ,” Ardyn snarled. “The Prophecy is fulfilled, and I have had my revenge -- the score between us is _settled_.”  
  
“ _Settled!_ ” Izunia shouted, incredulous, grinding his boot against Ardyn’s shirt. “ _Settled_ doesn’t mean _forgiven_ , Brother.” He made a beckoning gesture at Noctis. “Come sit, Son of Lucis, and allow me to regale you with a tale. Every _rightful King_ should learn his family’s secrets sometime.”  
  
Noctis couldn’t lie to himself: He was curious. He had been ever since Ardyn had revealed his true name in Zegnautus Keep. But there were bigger priorities at that time than thinking too deeply about the “jealous king” he’d mentioned in the Crystal Room. Then there were his years in the Crystal, and the final battle...and then it was over, and he was in the Beyond.  
  
And now they were here. Together. Face to face with the same Jealous King who had exiled Ardyn and started it all.  
  
This was his chance to finally know what happened two thousand years ago, arguably from the _good guy’s_ point of view -- because Ardyn was the _bad guy_ here, wasn’t he? Up until very recently, he and Noct _had_ been trying to kill each other...  
  
Noctis chanced a look at Ardyn. The man’s eyes were wide, his eyebrows knit close and mouth set in a deep frown. Noct could see his shoulders rising and falling with his breath, more quickly than they should be. Was he... _scared_? Noct could barely imagine the Chancellor even _having_ that emotion, but...Gods, this was all so _confusing_.  
  
“What do you even get out of this? Telling me your story, I mean,” Noct asked. “Isn’t most of it in the Cosmogony anyway?”  
  
Izunia looked briefly confused, as though not understanding the relevance of the question. “The _Cosmogony_? Gods, no -- that only tells you what comes _after_. I am trying to tell you what came _before_.” He crossed his arms. “As for my reasons, they are twofold -- first, the forefather of a dynasty is not often given an opportunity to pass on the family history in person. Isn’t that motivation enough to share my story with you?”  
  
Noct supposed it was.  
  
“Second, I must be sure that _this one_ ,” he flashed a fierce look at Ardyn, “hasn’t been telling you _lies_ about what happened.”  
  
Ardyn continued to struggle against his brother. “ _You_ are the one who lied, Izunia! _You_ lied to _everyone_ , and because of it we _both_ suffered!”  
  
Ardyn groaned loudly as Izunia mashed his boot into his chest, both brothers grimacing spitefully at one another.  
  
“Alright! That’s enough,” Noct pleaded. He put his uninjured hand on Izunia’s shoulder. “I’ll listen -- under one condition.”  
  
Izunia inclined his head, waiting for Noct to elaborate.  
  
“Let Ardyn go.”  
  
“Hmph. You can’t trust him -- you know that, don’t you?” Izunia held Noct’s gaze. “He would betray you without hesitation. Yet you ask me to release him?”  
  
“No way out except that tunnel,” Noct explained, motioning to the door with a nod of his head. “Makes it pretty hard to escape -- you know, if that’s why you’re stepping on him.”  
  
“I am restraining him for your protection, because he is _dangerous_.” Izunia sighed. “Maybe we can come to a compromise. I _could_ be convinced to release him from my hold, if _you_ will bind his hands.”  
  
“Done,” said Noct, already reaching to pull Ardyn’s makeshift orange scarf-sling from his neck. The regeneration was almost complete -- the aching in his shoulder had stopped, and basic movements were possible, but his full range of motion hadn’t yet returned. But maybe by the time he had allowed Izunia to say whatever he needed to say...  
  
Noctis carefully undid Ardyn’s knotwork and smoothed out the scarf. He looked up at Izunia impatiently. “I’ll take it from here.”  
  
Izunia frowned, but begrudgingly eased his foot off of Ardyn’s chest. The imprint of his boot was still very visible as a ruddy outline on the pleats of Ardyn’s ivory shirt. Walking away from Ardyn, he lifted himself onto his own sarcophagus in the center of the room, using it as a seat.  
  
Noct knelt beside Ardyn, scarf in hand.  
  
“So I take it you aren’t going to simply...put a hand on my shoulder and transport us out of here?” Ardyn whispered to Noct.  
  
“Not yet,” Noct replied quietly, shaking his head. “He doesn’t seem like the kinda guy who lets things go, Ardyn. He’ll just find you if we escape. It’s time to end this, once and for all.”  
  
Ardyn chewed his bottom lip for a moment, then presented his wrists for Noct.  
  
“I must say, Your Majesty, I always imagined you would tie me up in a more _comfortable_ setting than a cave in the middle of nowhere,” Ardyn teased, _loudly_. Now _there_ was the Ardyn that Noct knew. He rolled his eyes and pulled the knots taut, binding Ardyn’s hands in front of him.  
  
“Come on.” Noct yanked on the scarf, prompting Ardyn to get to his feet. He did so carefully, mindful of what would surely become a goose-egg on the back of his head. Noctis led him to the steps in front of Izunia’s sarcophagus and gave him a light push. “Sit.”  
  
“Well! Aren’t _we_ demanding today,” Ardyn protested as he plopped down on the top step.  
  
Izunia shook his head mockingly at his twin, then looked to Noct. “Will you also be taking a seat, boy?”  
  
“Think I’ll stand, actually,” said Noct, bracing his injured arm. “Still have ten years of missed leg days to make up for.”  
  
“‘Leg day’?” Izunia blinked. “I am not familiar with this. Is it a holiday that was established after my reign?”  
  
“Oh, no, it’s just--” Noctis bit his tongue. _No time to explain workout routines to your two thousand year-old ancestor._ “Er, yes. It’s uh...very popular with young people?”  
  
“I see,” Izunia hummed, nodding.  
  
Ardyn stared at Noct with a grin and a raised eyebrow -- an expression resembling something like pride, or at least as close as he’d ever get from the Chancellor.  
  
“Well, I am glad that there are still things in Lucis worth celebrating,” Izunia concluded. “Now then -- where to begin...”


	22. Idolize / Magnify / Fall in the Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Emetophobia for this chapter.

_I suppose I shall begin at the beginning. I set off with Ardyn on his quest to banish the Plague, starting with little but the basic supplies we could carry on chocobo-back: a tent, bed-rolls, and the like. The rest we mostly bartered for in the places we visited, though more often than not they were gifted to us by grateful townsfolk who refused to let us go hungry after Ardyn had healed their loved ones._  
  
_The first few stops on our journey were a test of Ardyn’s skills of persuasion more than anything else. Of course, the people knew House Lucis, and were aware of the Lord’s two sons -- word spread quickly of us after our birth -- but it was quite another thing to meet us in person. And to then suggest that Ardyn was some kind of_ savior _, there to_ cure the afflicted _...well. You could imagine the laughter this first evoked._  
  
_In the first town we came to, that sort of mocking had broken out among a group in the town square. I was about to escort Ardyn away when a child came forth, pushing through the much taller adults. I had seen her peeking out of a window while Ardyn was speaking to the crowd. She looked a bit sickly, but she was captivated by my brother. He was giving a dramatic speech, telling the people that he had been Chosen by the Crystal and Blessed by the Astrals, and his Power could Heal those suffering from the mysterious sickness that was sweeping the countryside. Her eyes had lit up as he said those words, and she had disappeared. The townspeople laughed, then grew angry with Ardyn’s apparent blasphemy. They probably would have begun throwing things at us and had us locked up for our “crimes,” if we hadn’t been the lord’s sons. But then this young girl had shoved several people much larger than herself aside to stand before Ardyn, her face ashen, wheezing heavily, with something cradled in her small arms._  
  
_I started to move in front of Ardyn, to get a look at whatever it was first, just in case it was something meant to harm him, but he held up his hand, signalling me to stop. He knelt down to the child’s level and gave her a smile. She extended her arms to him -- she’d been carrying a small puppy, it turned out, but the poor thing didn’t look well at all. It was shaking all over, skinny but for a distended belly, with black oily tears staining the area around its eyes._  
  
_Ardyn asked for her permission, and she handed the little dog to him. He made himself comfortable on the ground, with the dog in his lap. The adult townsfolk, meanwhile, had begun to gather around, curious to see the show._  
  
Isn’t that the smith’s girl? _They whispered._ Where has she been? No one has seen her for weeks...  
  
_It was the first time Ardyn had healed anything, or even used his power since the night in the alley. Even_ I _wasn’t sure what would happen, or if_ anything _would happen. But as if by instinct, he laid his hands just above the child’s pet, closed his eyes, and a warm light appeared. It surrounded his hands, gathering between his fingers and collecting in his palms. Tendrils of dark smoke rose from the animal’s skin, were pulled up into the light, and disappeared. It was like nothing any of us had ever seen. We stood silently around Ardyn as he took in the darkness. We were too entranced to move._  
  
_It took a few minutes, but the light eventually faded, and Ardyn sat stroking the dog’s small head. We waited. It felt like we were holding a collective breath. When the little one stretched and yawned, and then gave a sharp yip and left Ardyn’s lap to run back to its owner -- its eyes clear and alert -- we_ all _exhaled. The girl was overjoyed. She scooped up her pup and hugged it to her chest, where it wiggled its way to licking her face._  
  
_The townspeople crowded closer. They chattered and muttered amongst themselves._ Did you see? Was it true? Was that really the blessing of the Crystal? Perhaps it was only a trick of the sunlight.  
  
_The girl thanked Ardyn, burying her face in her dog’s fur as she sniffled back tears, and began to walk away -- but Ardyn caught her arm._  
  
_“It’s alright,” he said. As she turned back towards him, I saw that her tears were black, too. “You’ll feel better shortly.”_  
  
_Again Ardyn closed his eyes, as though focusing his energy, and the light appeared around their hands. The dark smoke rose again too -- the light pulled it from the girl’s skin, from her eyes, nose, and mouth. After a few moments, Ardyn’s light faded, and the girl stumbled. I jumped forward, and between Ardyn and I we managed to catch both her and the little pup._  
  
_I picked up the dog and held it close, making sure it didn’t wiggle away. The girl moaned softly, rubbing at her eyes, but the color had come back to her cheeks, and the fever none of us even knew she had seemed to have broken -- a sheen of sweat had appeared on her skin. She blinked a few times, her eyes focusing...and then she sat up, squealing and laughing as she threw her arms around Ardyn’s neck. He stole a glance up at me as she embraced him. It was the happiest I had ever seen him in our young lives. Even his eyes were smiling._  
  
_This time, the townsfolk were convinced. And to be honest, so was I. How could one watch such a display and not believe this man had been sent by the Astrals themselves?_  
  
  
\-----------------------------  
  
  
_After enough demonstrations, word of the Healer and his miracles began to spread. Soon, our arrivals were met with fanfares befitting a king -- troupes of musicians blared trumpets announcing our entrance while crowds cheered and tossed flower petals along our path. All the while Ardyn waved from his chocobo, occasionally reaching down to touch the hand of an admirer. Sometimes these people swooned or even_ fainted _at his touch. And Ardyn absorbed the attention like a plant absorbs sunlight._  
  
_As for me...I rode in his shadow, cold and forgotten. And I wondered -- when would it be my turn to ride in the sun?_  
  
  
\-----------------------------  
  
  
_It was on just such an arrival day that I first met the handsome traveler at the tavern attached to our inn. As I approached the man sitting at the counter from behind, I noticed several swords were strapped to his back, with one sheathed on either side of him. The way they were positioned across the man’s back, it almost appeared he was sprouting arms from odd places. Against my better judgment, I sat beside him at the counter, summoned all of my courage and told him as much, though it made my heart pound and my face flush._  
  
_“Oh?” he said, white hair framing a young face. “I must say, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.” He nodded at my longsword. “That’s nice steel you have. Would you care to test it against my many arms? Be warned -- I play for keeps.”_  
  
_Much later that evening, I came back to the inn, disheveled and dusty, and sat beside Ardyn at the tavern counter. My brother looked over and raised his eyebrow at my clothing and at the new sword I had purchased -- a two-handed broadsword that put my old longsword to shame in both breadth and length. To my surprise, he asked about neither the new sword, nor where the old one had gone. He simply took a long sip of his ale, and smiled._  
  
_“Looks like you had an interesting night, Brother,” he said. He finished the contents of his stein and left a few gil on the counter for the innkeep._  
  
_“Yes. Well. I met someone, and he challenged me--”_  
  
_“Ah-ah,” Ardyn chided, standing up from his seat. “A gentleman_ never _kisses and tells. I simply hope you enjoyed yourself, and that your paramour appreciates the token of your affection. Quite generous of you, though.”_  
  
_“That isn’t what happened at all!” I protested, but Ardyn was already halfway up the staircase, and likely wouldn’t have listened regardless._  
  
  
\-----------------------------  
  
  
_At first, I thought maybe it was the long journey itself that was taking its toll on my brother. He had started out so hopeful, so full of life -- I remembered the young girl and the pup from the first town, and the joy on his face when he had healed her. But the road had stretched from days, into weeks, into months -- soon we were crossing into our first year on the road, then the second. It seemed...truly endless. As though the Plague would never stop. And though my brother and I had never gotten along well, we were still_ family _, still_ brothers _, and the shifts in his pallor and his mood were noticeable to me. Like seeing a black chocobo in a flock of yellow._  
  
_The evening Ardyn had been chosen, I’d had a nightmare -- I saw him covered in darkness, pleading for me to save him. In the dream, the darkness took me, too. I saw that same nightmare again and again for months, always the same outcome, unchanging. Ardyn, consumed by the darkness, reaching out for me...and then me, succumbing to it. And each time, I woke up in a cold sweat, grasping for whatever was nearest._  
  
_When I first noticed Ardyn sneaking out of his inn room in the dead of night, I had assumed he was meeting someone for a midnight rendezvous. It was nothing he hadn’t done as a teenager (or as an adult, for that matter), and it didn’t worry me. But weeks went by, and it kept happening, and I grew suspicious. Then he snuck out of his tent while we camped in the middle of the Vesperwood, and I knew something wasn’t right. Who could he possibly have been meeting all the way out there? No person in their right mind would trek out into the Vesperwood for a dalliance -- even if their partner_ was _the Chosen Healer._  
  
_I waited until the next time he left his tent, gave him a healthy head start, then set off after him -- and prayed to the Gods that he wasn’t just going down to the river to relieve himself._  
  
_I could not have predicted what I found that night as I hid behind a few bushes -- although technically, I had: my dreams had been telling me for months, had even warned me_ before _my brother had been chosen by the Crystal._  
  
_Ardyn stared at his hands, his brow knit in concentration, beaded with sweat. After a few moments of intense focus, a ball of purple-black mist rose from the fingertips of one hand. He smiled at it, smugly satisfied as it danced on his palm._  
  
_This was not something I had seen him do before. I continued to watch, curious, though I felt my legs tremble beneath me._  
  
_“If you’ve come to persuade me to stop, I’m afraid you’re out of luck,” said Ardyn, still holding the mist in one hand. At first I thought he was speaking to me, and my heart jumped into my throat. Then I noticed the slim, black-haired woman sitting cross-legged on a rock beside my brother. When had she gotten there? And who was she? I had never seen her before -- and she looked_ much _too sophisticated to be romantically interested in Ardyn._  
  
_“You play with powers beyond your understanding, Healer. Turn back before you are lost,” the woman warned._  
  
_“Gentiana, I appreciate your checking in with me, but I am_ fine _,” Ardyn protested. He allowed the mist in his hand to dissipate. “It seems to me that if these powers are_ beyond _understanding, that_ someone _must take steps to understand them -- yes? Who better than your Chosen One, hmm? It could be the key to stopping the Plague for good.”_  
  
Stopping the Plague for good _? I thought. But wasn’t that the point of our entire journey -- of having given Ardyn his powers? Could it be that Ardyn could not truly bring an end to the Plague? Was he only stemming an impossible tide?_  
  
_The woman stood, clasping her pale hands before her. “When the time comes, do not say I did not tell you this was a bad idea.”_  
  
_I felt a cold breeze and closed my eyes as a shiver went up my spine. When I opened them, the woman was gone. I wasn’t sure if maybe_ I _was the one who needed healing, at that point._  
  
_Ardyn shook his head, gathering himself, then focused on both hands, as he had done with the one hand before. More mist sprouted from his fingertips, so that he carried two small clouds of violet darkness. His cocky smile appeared again before he turned sideways and I couldn’t quite see what he was doing -- but then he reared back and tossed the first handful of mist at a nearby tree, then the other. Bits of bark exploded off of it, smoke rising from places where the wood had charred._  
  
_“Yes!” He cheered, breathing heavily, clearly exhausted by the act. “I just need…a little more…”_  
  
_I hardly had time to think about what I had seen before Ardyn suddenly doubled over and fell to his hands and knees, retching and throwing up what looked like pure black bile. I started to move out from behind my hiding spot, ready to run to my brother’s side, when the retching sounds turned to chuckling. I stopped in my tracks and knelt down, well disturbed and mildly concerned for_ my own _safety. The chuckling turned to laughing, and the laughing turned to full-on howling at the moon as Ardyn sat back on his heels. Sneering, he wiped the bile away with his shirtsleeve, leaving stains trailing from his mouth -- black, oily stains that shone in the moonlight._  
  
_Another shiver ran up my spine, though no cold breeze had blown, and I realized I finally knew what my nightmare meant -- I just never thought it would be so_ literal _. But in the dream, the darkness had come for me as well...and I had no idea how to keep it at bay._  
  
  
\-----------------------------  
  
  
_Maybe I could have passed off what I had seen that night as a dream and put it out of my head, if not for what followed a few weeks later. Those were the events which unfolded our whole history. The reasons we all sit here together now, two millennia later._  
  
_It began with a letter. A courier brought it to us in the village where we were spending an extra day while Ardyn learned some new technique for cleaning wounds. Usually while Ardyn did these “extracurriculars,” I helped out in the local stables. The courier found me there, assisting the stable master in calming a chocobo who had run through brambles and needed some patching up._  
  
_The letter came in a familiar black envelope, with the golden wax seal of House Lucis -- the Reaper -- pressed into the back. A message from home. I broke the seal and pulled out the letter inside. The paper was faintly perfumed, written in our mother’s delicate hand -- which looked more delicate than usual, even. I read it over, took several deep breaths, explained the situation to the stable master, and went to find Ardyn._  
  
_I found him taking tea outside the chirurgeon’s home, deep in a philosophical discussion on whether or not it would be possible, in theory, to remove a Soul from a Body and somehow_ contain _it. Ardyn was about to begin arguing his side when he saw me approach. He stood and came towards me, meeting me halfway in the road as I handed him the letter. He scanned it and looked up at me with wide eyes._  
  
_“Gods_ damn _it all!” Ardyn swore. “We didn’t even get to say_ goodbye _.”_  
  
_“I know. We should return home, at least for a short time -- Mother needs us,” I suggested._  
  
_“Was_ this _what the Draconian meant? When he said I would be King of Lucis? Do you think this is what he meant? That Father would die so I could ascend? Oh_ gods _, Izunia, this isn’t what I wanted--”_  
  
_People had started to stop and stare, so I put an arm around him and guided him over to the side of the road._  
  
_“Father would have passed on eventually, and you would have become Lord Lucis one way or another,” I reassured him. But in the back of my mind, I remembered Ardyn’s face in the moonlight with his arrogant smirk as he purposely meddled with dark powers, and for the first time in our lives I was truly unsure_ what _my twin brother wanted._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's all please suspend our disbelief briefly and pretend that Ardyn is letting Izunia tell this entire tale for the next several chapters _completely uninterrupted_ , okay?? XD I know there's no way in hell, and I would love to write the fic where he's constantly interrupting his brother, but I have to finish writing this sometime before they actually release Episode Ardyn, hahaha.
> 
> Thank you all as always for your awesome support! Your comments and encouragement are amazing and I appreciate everything. :) ♥


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this with deep apologies because I forgot I had written it and I don't know why I didn't put it up...I'm sorry it's short, too. I'm working on the next bit! (;w;)
> 
> Well my friends, we are now in a world where we actually know the canon name of Ardyn's brother, and every day we learn a little more about his tale of woe. I debated a long time about whether or not I would go back and find-replace Izunia -- but in the end I decided that in the interest of keeping this AU _completely_ AU, I will not be going back and changing anything. This OC, Izunia Lucis Caelum, is who he is: a separate character in a separate story that I don't expect will have very much -- if anything -- in common with Ardyn's canon backstory. It's taken me a long time to accept that not only is that okay, but it's a good thing!
> 
> Anyway, thank you all as always for continuing to follow along on this journey despite my complete lack of a regular posting schedule. I appreciate you very much. :) ♥

_They say that traveling always feels faster coming home than it does leaving it. Perhaps there is some truth to that, in a normal homecoming. But as we traversed the miles back to our hometown, it felt to me as though time had slowed down almost to a complete stop. Every color became muted, every sound softened. We spoke not a word to one another along the road and stopped for nothing, driving our poor birds near to exhaustion -- and ourselves as well._  
  
_After two days’ ride, we arrived at our destination. Gray clouds had followed us along our journey back, threatening poor weather the whole way. Ardyn brought his chocobo up alongside mine, pulling his hood over his head as rain began to fall. It felt strange, trodding through the gates of our town after two years away. I recognized it, and yet I did not. The streets I had played in as a child were lined with buildings newly constructed or repaired. Though I had hoped to see familiar faces, the rain kept the townsfolk indoors, and the few people I did see were unknown to me. For a few moments, I was uncertain if we had even come to the right place. Had we made a wrong turn? Worse, had we been away so long we had forgotten our own home?_  
  
_Of course, it was not the case -- only grief and bittersweet nostalgia combining to make a heady elixir. We took the central road through town, and there in the distance we could see it at the top of the hill, black flags embroidered with gold hanging from the windows -- our home, House Lucis._  
  
_We stabled our birds ourselves, and I couldn’t help but notice how relieved they seemed to be. Both settled in almost immediately, fluffing and preening before curling up in their hay. I watched as they made themselves comfortable and wished that I too could release the breath I held._

  
\-----------------------------

 __  
_“My sons!”_  
  
_Our mother shuffled towards us weakly. She cared not a whit about the fact that we must have stank so badly the Astrals themselves could likely have smelled us from their realm. She still gathered us both up in her arms -- or tried, for we had both grown much taller than her when we were but boys._  
  
_“Oh, my children,” she sniffled. “Thank the Gods you made it home safely to me.”_  
  
_I put a hand to her head, patting her hair -- once deep red like my brother’s, but now gray with age and loss. “It’s good to be back, Mother. We’re here to help.” I turned to Ardyn. It was odd for him to be so quiet. “Aren’t we, Ardyn?”_  
  
_Ardyn had been looking in our direction, but looking_ through _us. Now he snapped to attention. “Hm? Ah. Yes, of course. Anything you need, Mother.”_  
  
_She took our hands softly and looked at us with wonder. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words took a moment to come. “We got your letters. And we heard the news of your travels that came through town. But…” Her voice wavered. She coughed lightly. “-- if only your father were here to see you, to see the fine men you’ve become -- and you’re even getting along! He would be so proud, just as I am.”_  
  
_Our father’s body had already been burned, as it was unclear if he had been exposed to the plague or not, and it was better to be safe than to put the House in danger. His ashes were placed in a stone sarcophagus with his likeness engraved on the outside. Morbid though it was, these had been prepared for both him and Mother a number of years ago, commissioned from local stonemasons. Now his was finally being put to use._  
  
_“If I should die before you,” Ardyn muttered to me, “make sure the carving on my coffin at least_ looks _like me.”_  
  
_I bit my tongue to keep from smirking. It was true -- the engraving on the sarcophagus was an idealized version of our father, in such a way that it no longer even truly resembled him._  
  
_“We will need to discuss succession,” I said._  
  
_Ardyn frowned. “Always so focused on business, Zu. Our House is not going anywhere. Surely we can take time to grieve?”_  
  
_I sighed. “The world still turns, even as we grieve. Mother will need us to handle business. You were so concerned about_ ascension _just a few days ago -- what of it now?”_  
  
_His eyes widened, looking as though I had slapped him. “I didn’t mean…I wasn’t talking about…” I could see his jaw muscle work as he grit his teeth. “Fine. We can discuss it in the morning.”_  
  
\-----------------------------  
  
_Ardyn disappeared for two days. I don’t know why I was surprised. When he returned to the House, I confronted him._  
  
_“Where have you been?” I asked, following him up to his chamber. An echo of a memory of us doing the same song and dance as teenagers came to me._  
  
_“Getting supplies for when we get back on the road,” he replied simply._  
  
_“For two days?” I blinked. “And also, ‘_ we _’? What happened to speaking of succession? Our House lacks a leader, Ardyn!”_  
  
_“I may have lost track of time. Look, these things happen.” He shrugged as he laid his bags in a corner and took a seat on his bed. “And as to succession -- I thought about it while I was out, and I think I understand what’s meant to be.”_  
  
_I could do nothing but stare. “...Go on.”_  
  
_“Well. When I received these powers, the Draconian told me that once I had fulfilled my calling and the plague had been banished, that I would become the King of Lucis. You remember that, yes?”_  
  
_“Vaguely.” Truthfully, I had thought he was hallucinating at the time._  
  
_“As you have seen, dear brother, the plague is still alive and well. So my conclusion is that the work is not yet done. We must keep going. House Lucis will become the Kingdom of Lucis when the journey is completed -- and at that time, I will take my rightful place on the throne of that kingdom.”_  
  
_I remember thinking that he must have been mad with grief. But before I could open my mouth to argue with him, I was interrupted._  
  
_“A Lucian Kingdom? Oh…wouldn’t that be something grand…”_  
  
_We followed the sound of the weak voice and turned to the door, where our mother leaned against the wall. Her ashen face shone with sweat, her hair clinging to her forehead. She pressed a hand to her mouth and coughed. It dawned on me that she had been coughing since we arrived, but I had barely paid attention. Seeing her now, though, I understood -- she was_ ill _._  
  
_“Mother, I thought I told you to rest.” Ardyn rose and took her hand. He began leading her back down the hallway. I followed closely behind, alarmed at this development._  
  
_As we entered the master chamber, I noticed it seemed smaller than I remembered it -- but perhaps I was just remembering it as it had been when I was a child. Or perhaps everything seems a little smaller when you are face to face with your parents’ mortality._  
  
_I watched as my brother helped our mother into her bed (yes, just “hers” now, I remembered with a pang) and pulled the blankets up to her chest. He sat beside her and leaned over to the bedside, where a cup sat. He frowned as he looked into it._  
  
_“You hardly drank any of it.”_  
  
_She scrunched up her face. “It tastes awful, darling. Would_ you _drink it?” She started to laugh, but it hitched into a deep cough. Ardyn held her hand til the fit subsided._  
  
_Ardyn grinned faintly. “Perhaps if my son asked me nicely, because he knew it would help that awful hacking, I might.”_  
  
_She paused a moment before taking the cup from him. It took her several tries to drink it -- it really must have been foul -- but eventually Ardyn seemed satisfied with her dose and took the cup from her, placing it gently back on her bedside table. Shortly thereafter, she drifted into a light slumber. One with no coughing, thank the Gods._  
  
_Ardyn left her bedside and motioned for me to follow him outside the room. He closed the door behind us, that we might speak without waking our mother._  
  
_“The supplies you went to get…” I started._  
  
_“Were mostly for us, I was truthful,” Ardyn crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “But I needed a few extra items -- and would you believe that the old apothecary who used to chase us from hiding in his plants as children died of the plague but a few months ago? His shop is empty now. Everyone goes to the next town over to buy the herbs and tinctures they need.”_  
  
_“But how did you know, Ardyn?”_  
  
_He glanced at me sidelong, raising an eyebrow as if to ask,_ How _didn’t_ you know? _I felt the sharp knife-stab of guilt in my heart. “I wouldn’t be much of a healer if I didn’t know when people were sick, Izunia.” He sighed. “I’m afraid, though, that I’m not certain what ails her. It looks not like the plague. Perhaps heartbreak.”_  
  
_Heartbreak. Was this the fate of all who loved, in the end?_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed. :) I've got a pretty good idea of where this is going, but I'm not sure how many chapters it will take to get there. I hope you'll join me for the ride!


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